A north-east cancer charity has been paid by the piper to the tune of £120,000.
Maggie’s Aberdeen has confirmed the fundraising total from its recent dinner dance which was headlined by the hugely popular Red Hot Chilli Pipers, which counts a local man among its members.
The charity’s Scottish Night With a Twist was held at Thainstone Exchange and supported by owners ANM Group, Strachan’s and Scotbeef.
About 400 people attended the event on January 27, which featured a silent and public auction sponsored by various local companies.
Among the prizes on offer was a Loch Lomond seaplane tour, a spa day for two Gleneagles and specially commissioned paintings by renowned artists Iain Faulkner and Glen Scouller.
Paula Cormack, fundraising manager at the charity’s centre in the city, said: “We are blown away by the generosity of those who attended and participated in the auction and silent auction, and by the kind donations from the sponsors of the evening.”
The pipers’ headline slot comes after the band selected Maggie’s as its official charity partner for the year ahead.
Every year, the band selects a charity to raise funds for with Kevin MacDonald, who grew up in Peterculter, made the choice.
He said: “Unfortunately cancer is now a part of our every day lives and having witnessed first hand the effect it has on a family, Maggie’s seemed to be the perfect fit for me this year.
“Being a lad that was brought up in Peterculter, I was keen to support Maggie’s in Aberdeen.”
Pat Machray, the former chairman of ANM Group, was part of the event’s organising committee.
He said: “We are delighted to have been able to raise such an amount in one evening for Maggie’s Aberdeen. We know how beneficial it is for the many people from across the region who use the centre.
“I would like to thank all the businesses in the area who supported the evening. Additionally, the kind donations from table hosts were outstanding and we are thrilled to be able to present such a sizeable amount to the Maggie’s Centre in Aberdeen.”
For more information on Maggie’s visit www.maggiescentres.org