Delight and sadness as club supports charities

Delight and sadness as club supports charities

26 July 2017

DROMARA village maintained its reputation as a generous supporter of local charities last week with the presentation of cheques valued at over £2,600.

The bulk of the money raised at this year’s summer show staged by the Dromara Vintage and Classic Club was donated to the MacDermott Oncology Haematology Unit at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald while the other beneficiaries were St John’s and St Michael’s churches to offset the cost of Christmas lunch events for senior citizens.

Club chairman, Brian McGrillen, said while the annual June show was a major success it was “tinged with great sadness” following the death in October last of founding chairman Tom McCann.

He described Tom as the driving force behind the Club’s commitment to local charities and this year his family, in consultation with the Club, had decided the major contribution should be to the MacDermott Unit where he was treated with such professional care and compassion during his illness.

Mr McGrillen said the show could not take place with any degree of success without the input of many people and he praised the hard work and commitment of the Club members, their supporters and families.

He thanked Dromara Football Club and their chairman Mr Rab Sloan for the use of their magnificent grounds and facilities on the day, local farmer Mr Robert Fee for the generous use of his land as an additional car park, the PSNI, Knights of Malta, the “back-room staff” who provided meals and teas, the volunteers who spent the day directing traffic, the exhibitors and the general public for their continued and wholehearted support.

“A tremendous lot of people put a lot of effort into this show and I want to thank all of them very sincerely,” Mr McGrillen said.

Tom McCann’s widow Mary and son James — treasurer of the Vintage and Classic Club — presented a cheque for £2,032 to Staff Nurse Laura Scott of the MacDermott Unit while cheques valued at £300 each were presented to Ann Ward and Roisin Doyle of St Michael’s Church and Joan Ervin of St John’s.

Nurse Scott said she could not believe the amount of money being donated to the Unit and said it would all be used for the benefit of patients with the purchase of equipment which was needed.

 “This will be put to very good use and thank you all so much for your wonderful generosity,” she said.