Presentations to Childline and TCCL

President Isobel Clifford welcomed members to the weekly meeting in Best Western Scores Hotel. Following our successful charity golf tournament at Kingsbarns golf club last October two of our nominated charities were present to receive cheques for £750 each. The first charity was NSPCC Childline School Services. The Charity's area coordinator Alice Adamson accepted the cheque and explained its function. It is a free service and it liaises with Local Authorities and schools. Basically it has three objectives with children: to advise on bullying and abuse, keeping themselves safe and advise where to go to receive help. At present they work with children in P6 and P7 although it is their aim to work with younger children once more volunteers are trained. Alice stressed that once a problem was discovered the initial point of contact was with the teacher. The aim of the charity was to dramatically extend its actives and the Club's donation was gratefully received.

The second recipient was Tayside Children's Cancer and Leukaemia (TCCL). The local chairman John Walker, in thanking the club and accepting the cheque, gave members a background to the organisation. It was formally created as a charity in 2002 to aid families with children suffering cancer and leukaemia following parents and friends raising money to create garden at Ninewells Hospital. Its aim is to support families with needs such as single parents with other children who may have transport requirements or others with domestic needs. They also supply equipment to the hospital which the NHS will not and in the summer organise family outings. There is a holiday home for families on Bute but in 2011 it was felt there should be one in the east of Scotland within a reasonable distance of Ninewells Hospital for emergency reasons. The aim was to raise £500,000 either to build or purchase suitable premises. Eventually this money was raised and a property was purchased in St Andrews, however it was discovered it would have been illegal for the charity to own this property, therefore a separate company was set up called TCCL Lodge. The house is now up and running and can sleep a family up to eight and the initial reaction of families is very positive. Having heard such positive stories and both visitors answering many questions the members were delighted the donations were being so well used.