Trio of events add to Haven fundraising appeal

AN ambitious appeal to develop Scotland’s first integrated centre for children and young people with complex and severe disabilities at a site in Inverness is £2000 closer to its target thanks to the efforts of a dedicated fundraising team.

The money was raised from three different activities ranging from a coffee morning to a race night.

The Haven Appeal, launched by the Elsie Normington Foundation and supported by the Inverness Courier to mark the newspaper’s 200th anniversary, aims to raise £4 million to build the Haven Centre at a site in Smithton.

So far, more than £1.1 million has been raised from grants, donations and various events.

They include a recent race night hosted by the owners of the V8 Café in Henderson Road, Inverness. The event raised £1011.

A coffee morning with a craft and cake sale at Trinity Church Hall raised £626 while the sale of quiz sheets brought in a further £300.

They were organised by the Elsie Normington Foundation fundraising team including Irene Pearson and Norma Gault.

Elsie Normington, chairwoman of the foundation, was delighted with the latest contributions.

"I am so greatly encouraged by the efforts being made by our supporters to play their part in our fundraising efforts," she said. "Every penny counts. It is a real bonus that we have so much fun at the events."

The proposed Haven Centre is to be built at a site in Murray Road previously occupied by Culloden Court Nursing Home which was destroyed by a fire in 2010.

The new facility will include respite houses, a community café and garden, specialist indoor and outdoor play areas, office and meeting spaces.

The project has already secured backing from Highland Council while other partners are Direct Childcare, which will provide the child care in the specialist play centres, and Key Community Supports, which has wide experience in housing support, short breaks and community support to adults with learning difficulties.

Further support has been forthcoming from Smithton Residents’ Association which is looking forward to seeing a new building on the derelict site.

Anyone wanting further details about the project or to support it should email info@havenappeal.org.uk