A MORAY community is rallying round to help a family of nine left homeless by a devastating fire just days before Christmas.
Johnny Law and his wife and children lost virtually all their possessions as a blaze flattened their farmhouse. Although they escaped from their home uninjured, the family face spending the festive season in a hotel.
Local people have been organising collections to try to make sure the family can have a Christmas celebration.
Drop-off points were set up at several locations in Dufftown, including the Commercial Hotel, the local bakery and Mortlach Primary School, where two of the seven Law children go to school.
Scores of people also flocked to a “pop-up” collection point in the car park of the B&Q store in Edgar Road, Elgin, yesterday afternoon.
Dufftown woman Emma-Louise MacDonald, who organised the appeal, said she felt compelled to help after realising that her father knew Mr Law from school.
Ms MacDonald, who works at the Cabin pre-school centre at Mortlach Primary, said: “We heard about it in the morning so the school is doing stuff to help out. There are lots of collections in Dufftown. There’s lots of Christmas spirit, but I’d like to think it would be the same at any time of year.
“It’s not just me that’s helping – Chantelle Dea has also been organising collections.”
The Meal Machine burger van in the B&Q car park received more than £80 in customer donations.
Amanda Millar, who runs the van, said she had been spreading the word about the appeal. “I have got four kids so you know what it’s like,” she said. “One guy donated £40 straight away.”
She said one customer told her he knew Mr Law and said the farmer would “offer the clothes off his back for anyone”.
Elgin mother of two Ashley Willetts was among the donors at B&Q yesterday.
She said she really wanted to help, although she did not know the family personally.
“We all feel the penny-pinch at Christmas, but this is something else,” Ms Willetts said. “Having my own children, I think it’s heart-wrenching.
“We just want to try to help.”
Meanwhile, Lossiemouth woman Julie Swayze spent her day off work going round local shops and other businesses to encourage them to help the Law family.
She said: “Without a doubt, at this time of year, we need to help.”
Taxi companies, local businesses, restaurants and chain stores across Moray have already pledged donations of everything from toiletries to food vouchers.
B&Q manager Grant McLean said his store planned to donate a Christmas tree and lights for the room in the hotel where the Laws are staying.
Mortlach Primary head teacher Sheena MacKinnon said: “Word about the fire has got round the community really quickly.
“People have been bringing in clothes and books, as well as toys for the children. In fact, they’ve been coming along with anything they might come in useful.
“It’s a family who are in need of support just at the moment. What happened to them could have happened to any one of us.”
Another appeal will be held at the B&Q car park at Elgin today from 11am-noon. Anyone wishing to donate outside of those times can leave items at the Meal Machine burger van in the same car park any time from 7.30am today.
The devastating blaze broke out at the Laws’ Torbay Farm home at Kininvie, near Dufftown, early on Thursday.
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