Tea time and seeing a way to raise £4,000 at Peebles

The fundraising event, organised by local optician Linda Quinn in support of sight-loss charity RNIB Scotland, was attended by 170 people.

The sum was matched by Tesco Bags of Help votes after customers plumped for the money raised by this initiative to go RNIB ‘Talking Books’. The In Chorus community choir, which entertained guests during the event, also donated £250 themselves.

Angela Preston, fund-raising manager for RNIB Scotland and a Peebles resident herself, said: “This takes the total sum raised by the Peebles Community ‘Talking Book’ drive to a £19,000 since the town became Britain’s first to raise funds as a community last year.

“We’d also like to say a special thanks to local businesses Harrisons Ford and Higgins Opticians for sponsoring the welcome drinks, Forsyth’s for sponsoring a table, Rogersons for their donation and to Stobo Castle spa for donating the star prize of a spa day. Thanks, too, to the many local businesses who donated over 100 raffle and auction prizes.”

Because RNIB ‘Talking Books’ are professionally narrated and recorded, they cost up to £2,500 to each to produce.

z Pictured, from left – Corrine MacRaild (RNIB volunteer), Angela Preston, Pauline Weir (Tesco community champion) and Linda Quinn.