Highland Hospice is urging schools, businesses, communities and individuals from all over the region to don their springtime colours and join in the charity's annual Wear Yellow Day on Friday 28th May.
Generously sponsored by Stoddart Crane Hire, the message is simple - wear yellow, join in the fun and support your local hospice.
Launching the campaign for the charity is Allan Murray, whose brother was a Highland Hospice patient for six weeks before he died in December 2020.
Charlie was a much-loved character in Inverness, known by many as doorman of the Drumossie Hotel where he had worked since the early 2000s.
Allan explains how Highland Hospice helped his brother and family at a difficult time.
“If I could say anything about the care delivered by Highland Hospice, I would say it was beyond my belief. There was so much passion and commitment around Charlie’s stay - I was overwhelmed by the love, care, positivity and attention to detail provided.”
“For the Highland Hospice staff, nothing is too much. Marion the cook is a wonderful character with a great sense of humour, who enjoyed a joke with Charlie and me.
There are fabulous volunteers who give up their time to help things run smoothly – and I’ll always remember my conversation with one of them who had been retired for a year and was enjoying a new lease of life, being able to give something back.”
“The location of the Hospice is incredible, on the banks of the River Ness where, even in winter, the sun shines through the patients’ windows. As a religious man, I appreciated being able to visit the beautiful cathedral which is a very short walk from the Hospice, as this provided me with time and space to reflect while I was losing my brother.”
“Overall, I appreciated being safe in the knowledge that Charlie was receiving the best care possible when his family couldn’t be with him, although he greatly appreciated visits from a few close friends. His wife had passed away six years previously, his daughters live a distance away, and I live in Kelso, so I got to know the A9 very well during those weeks.”
“Charlie’s birthday was on 13 December 2020, and he sadly died just days later. It has been tough losing my brother to cancer, but I honestly believe he received the best possible care at the end of his life.”
“My experience would have been very different without this support so I would urge everyone who can help Highland Hospice to do so. Wear Yellow on 28th May, get involved and help to keep this amazing charity running to provide with patients and families with the care that I experienced.”
Highland Hospice Fundraiser Emma Nicol added, "We are so grateful to Allan for backing this campaign, and to the staff of the Drumossie Hotel who will be remembering their much-loved colleague on the day. The hotel will be hosting a special 'Sunflower Afternoon Tea' on 28th May, full of yellow treats, with £5 from each booking going to the Hospice."
She added, "There really has never been a more important time to support your local hospice. We hope that more people than ever will wear yellow, have lots of fun and post on social media using the hashtag #WearYellowDay.
"Our website has fundraising and fun activity packs, and we are here to support anyone who wishes to set up their own event or challenge in support of the day."
Please click here for further information about how to participate.
