An Aberdeen charity has closed its shop for the final time – but the team has vowed to keep on raising vital funds for cancer sufferers.
Bosies Breast Cancer Charity opened in the Castlegate area in August 2010.
Set up by cancer survivor Maggie Lenihan and her daughter Debbie Hamilton, the pair have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to support those living with the disease in the city and beyond.
But in July, the pair announced the Justice Street shop would close due to the impact of Covid, increased energy costs and a rent increase.
Once the closure was announced, the shop was kitted out in Christmas decorations to give it a happy ending.
Local businesses also stepped in to assist, with Arnold Clark lending the charity a van and paying for the shop’s signage and Shore Porters offering up free storage space.
Mrs Lenihan, whose sister died of breast cancer, admitted it was “bittersweet” to close up for the final time.
“It’s the right time for it because it’s time for me to retire,” she said.
“But it’s a sad day. Twelve years ago we were opening and it was all the excitement of setting up our own charity.
“You put your own personal feelings into it – it was my sister dying of breast cancer and me thinking, ‘I’m a survivor, here’s me 27 years now’. It was just lovely to be able to have my own shop and to be my own boss.”
Fundraising quiz to come
Despite the shop closure, Bosies will continue raising money through various events.
Last month, a show featuring Tommy Dean and the Legends at the Beach Ballroom raised £4,300.
A quiz night will also be held at the Wellington Hotel on December 11, from 7pm. Bosies fundraiser and volunteer Val Morrison will host it, along with the hotel’s general manager Michael McRitchie.
Mrs Lenihan said former Crown and Anchor barmaid Miss Morrison – known from her appearances in BBC’s The Harbour – will be shouting at everybody to get their money out, adding: “You know what she’s like, she’s a Rottweiler”.
Miss Morrison said the reason behind the quiz is to “go out with a bang”, adding: “It was tremendous place to work in and I thoroughly enjoyed it every day. It was so sad to see it getting cleared out.”
Conversation