The Lewis and Harris MacMillan Fundraising Group have won a top accolade award in the Macmillan Cancer Support annual awards.
The 2024 Thanks to You Awards provide the opportunity to say a huge and well-deserved
thank you, and to celebrate the outstanding contributions of those who give their
time, energy and experience to Macmillan and to people living with and affected by
cancer.
The island group was declared the charity’s “most productive fundraising committee” in the UK and received the Outstanding Supporter trophy at a recent ceremony.
They have supported Macmillan for five decades. By the end of last year it had raised a accumulated total of £1.4 million.
The multigenerational group comprises 28 members from all walks of life – the youngest is 19 years old while the eldest is over eighty. Many members are from different generations of the same family, including the group’s chair, Mairi Mackenzie, whose mother was a member long before her.
‘The group was set up by a Macmillan nurse on the island 45 years ago,’ explains Mairi.
‘It’s gone from strength to strength since then. One of our members has been with the group for 35 years. We worked out recently that between all of us we have notched up over 300 years of volunteering for Macmillan.”
She added: I’m so proud to be part of this group of committed and passionate volunteers. We are delighted to receive this award and be acknowledged for what we do as a very small, remote community.
“As far as we’re concerned, we are just facilitators. This award honours the generosity of the communities across Western Isles for the support that they give.”
Four members of the local group attended the award ceremony in Birmingham.
Lewis and Harris MacMillan cancer support group declared top fundraising champion
15 June 2024
