A grieving Highland minister donned a bridesmaid dress to receive his vaccine jab in aid of a mental health charity in the week that his mother suddenly died.
Rev James Bissett received the shock news on Wednesday but still saw his fundraising challenge through.
“We just had to get on with it, ” he said.
“She’d already sponsored me, I had to go through with it.”
The Ordained Local Minister for the Church of Scotland’s part-time Ministry, based in the parishes of Contin and Strathpeffer, turned up in the fancy frock at North Kessock Village Hall Vaccination Centre on Sunday to receive his jab at 2pm.
He has no regrets about going ahead with the challenge, despite still coming to terms with the traumatic loss.
Came out of the blue
“It was a shock, “he says.
“We know she spoke to her neighbour on the Monday, they’re pretty close. But there was no contact on the Tuesday and they went in and found her on the Wednesday.”
“She lives in Fife so myself and my sister are just preparing things, we don’t know when the funeral is going to be, there will be a postmortem and all the official-ness. It’s been difficult. She was only 72 which is not old for these days.”
The 45-year-old from North Kessock said his fundraising drive had helped to brighten up the day.
He added: “I set out to raise £500 but have managed to raise £1469.79 – and on top of that £290,25 Gift Aid – for the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).”
‘It’s all the wife’s fault’
Blaming his wife Rev Susan Cord, minister of Killearnan and Knockbain, for being the mastermind behind the plan, he said it was no walk in the park wearing the sparkly number.
“I don’t have female proportions so trying to get something to fit me was an adventure. It’s three layers of net plus a double-lined satin skirt so I was roasting. And then I had the net underskirt as well.
“That was another tenner off eBay. It arrived in this A4 envelope, vacuum-packed to within an inch of itself, it was like inflating a life-raft, the thing exploded in the kitchen.”
Doing this for others
Rev Bissett believes it is important to fundraise for mental health charities.
“I’ve never really ever had any mental health problems myself,” he says.
“I was aware of folk who have but this year has really focussed the mind that you could be going along great and then life just throws you so many issues all at once.
“I’m lucky to have a great support network but not everyone has that and that’s where organisations like SAMH steps in.”
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sayyestothedress