The final day of the Game Conservancy Scottish Fair also marked the close of a public appeal which has been running for six months. The appeal was launched by the Scottish Association for Country Sports after a tragic shooting accident on 1st January this year, in which Glasgow schoolboy Alexander Kerr lost his right eye.
‘Zander’, as he is normally known, is only 15 years old, and has shown incredible courage and maturity in dealing with his disability. He has been an inspiration to us all, and the appeal was widely supported by country sports organisations and individuals.
In addition to the generous donations from individuals and
groups, the Trade Stand holders at the National Countrysports Fair in Northern
Ireland donated a number of items, which SACS was to auction for the appeal.
Traders at other fairs, notably at Selby, followed up with more donations. When
word of the auction spread at the Game Conservancy Scottish Fair at Scone
Palace, once again the traders came up trumps, and gave SACS a large number of
items for the auction.
The appeal cheque should have been presented at 1.30 pm on the Sunday, but the presentation was delayed when trade-stand holders began to hand over even more items to raise funds, and by the time the auction finished at 3.30 pm, the appeal fund had swollen to a massive £2100.
While individual donors are far too numerous to mention, Tom Chalmers, owner of controversial website www.thelanarkshireandrenfrewshirehunt.com and the real ‘Brains’ behind the appeal, has worked tirelessly in the background for six months and deserves a special mention.
Sandra Gaynor, of Mitton Hall Kennel Systems, who embarked on a highly professional Dick Turpin-like roundup of the traders at Scone Palace to swell the final auction also deserves sincere thanks.
Finally, thanks also to the Fife & Kinross Working Terrier Club, whose separate raffle for Zander during the Fair raised over £200.
Zander, through the Scottish Association for Country Sports, would like to thank all of those who worked so hard to make the appeal a success.
The full list of individuals who donated cash to the appeal is shown below. Sincere thanks to all of those who donated items to the auction – we will never know their names, but they have helped make a tremendous difference to a young boy’s life.
Ian Clark
Director
Individual Donors :-
Dennis Allen
Harry Stephenson
Carol & Les
Sylvia Penfold
S. Thomas
D. Harcombe
Major C B Innes
Brian Rundell
Market Weighton Metals
W & E M Davison
J J Whelpdale
A Beaumont
Anonymous
T L Hudson
C A Smith
Mr H Stewart-Stevenson
Steven Hall
Keith Grattan
England Olympic Skeet Team
Antony Niall
Rod & Gun Rack
Ian Clark
Royal Bank of Scotland
Liz James
Mr & Mrs K Davies,
Mr Danczuk & Family,
Mr R Brown,
Mr J C Addy,
Mr Rodney Coalter,
Stewart Rae,
P G Murphy
James Leslie,
Jackson Nutt
David Cant
Major J Young,
Jim Bauld,
Dennis Critchley-Salmonson