MUSSELBURGH Over 50’s Club is continuing its good work by donating funds totalling £1,500 to the annual Edinburgh Taxi Outing, and a local karate dojo and primary school.
The club raises cash through raffles and bingo, as well as via entry fees for events.
Carol Edmond, club organiser, handed over £500 to the annual Edinburgh Taxi Outing, which saw cabs decorated with balloons and drivers in fancy dress head through East Lothian.
The outing, now in its 76th year, raised money for children with additional needs, life-limiting conditions and terminal illnesses, and left Edinburgh Zoo’s car park.
All of the taxis were decorated with balloons or as floats, and there were stops in Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Cockenzie and Port Seton, Aberlady, Gullane and Dirleton.
The convoy, arranged by Edinburgh Taxi Trade Children’s Outing Committee, was under a police escort through Edinburgh and along the coast to Archerfield Walled Garden, near Dirleton, with a stop outside Luca’s in Musselburgh to enjoy an ice cream.
Once they reached Archerfield, organisers offered a fun-filled afternoon before heading home.
Carol said: “I was very kindly asked by committee member Brian Allen to go in the lead car with his wife Jan.
“We had a lovely time. Both of them were soaking wet and laughing as we travelled from Edinburgh Zoo to Luca’s in Musselburgh for ice creams, then on to Archerfield for a fun day out. I presented the cheque to the Lord Provost and had the chance to get my photo taken with some policemen who donate their time to this wonderful day out.
“It was a fantastic day.”
Irene Corcoran Meenan and Jane MacDonald, helpers at the Over 50’s Club, presented a cheque for £500 to Chris Ewing, of Chris Ewing Karate (CEK) in Musselburgh, to help towards new equipment.
The club, which is located in its own dojo (training hall) on the first floor of the former Musselburgh & Fisherrow Co-op building on High Street, trains in the style of karate known as wadō-ryū, which is a blend of traditional Japanese karate and jujitsu.
Chris said: “We are very grateful at CEK that the Over 50’s Club selected our local club to help to support our students.
“We have many classes for all ages – three to five years, six plus, teens and adult sessions; we have something for everyone.”
A cheque for £500 was also handed over to teacher Lucy Sutherland at Campie Primary School in Musselburgh, to help with the P7 pupils’ end-of-term celebration.
A party is being held at Musselburgh Rugby Club and an outdoor assault course at Pencaitland is also planned for the last day of term.
The donation from the Over 50’s Club will be used to cover the cost of a bus to get about 50 children to their destination and back home to Musselburgh.
Lisa McCart, a parent involved in organising the end-of-term events, said: “The money means we don’t need to ask parents for additional funds, as they have already paid towards each activity their child is taking part in. It also relieves the pressure for people that may have struggled to get the day off work to bring their child to the event.
“We can now cover the cost to take them and bring them back, which is just outstanding.”
She also paid tribute to Mrs Sutherland, saying that she would be “missed so much” by her class, who will move on to secondary school after the summer holidays.
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