Fundraising became a huge part of my life away back in the late 1980’s. Helping to raise a huge amount to charter a Boeing 747 and fly very sick children to Florida with doctors, nurses and carers to give the kids a holiday of a lifetime took a lot of doing but we did it year after year! My meanest feat was acquiring a pair of boxing gloves signed by Mohammed Ali. I sent them to auction in London and I managed to get £7,500 for the kids' trip.
In 2002 I had just moved up to Alford in Aberdeenshire, the village I live in now, and wondered how I was going to top that one! So I actively became involved with various animal charities and found raising money for them very rewarding. Being the ultimate ‘Cat Woman’ with 11 pet cats, I knew what I had to do. But in 2009 I still wanted to do something really special. So….The Highland Tiger Fling was born!
My first encounter was with Highland Tiger, a wildcat conservation project fronted by Dr David Hetherington from the Cairngorms National Park Authority. I was amazed at how many of my friends, neighbours and locals (also cat lovers) decided to support me and, before we knew it, the first Fling took place in 2010. The main source of income on the night came from donated raffle and tombola prizes as well as an auction. Having started the event without a penny and the fact that everything was donated, meant that every penny raised went straight to the wildcats. We raised nearly £3,000 at the first event. We donated it to the Wildcat Fund held by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) so that the money could be used for the cats on our own doorstep because we were very much aware they were close by us.
It was great that such a large group of cat-loving friends could get together and have a great night out and fundraise for our cause. So, before I knew it, the next Highland Tiger Fling was underway. 2012 and 2014 provided bigger and better events and the amount we raised just kept creeping up. With still no outlay, 100% of what we raised went to RZSS for the wildcats.
The Highland Tiger project came to an end but it paved the way for Scottish Wildcat Action, a much bigger project that operates across the whole of Scotland, so we are happy to support them. Because we’re all still crazy about our cats we even set up a friends Facebook page so we could share our own pictures and stories a lot easier. Our friends from all over the world have joined and follow what’s going on here.
Now the 2016 Fling is only a few weeks away and the big wheels are in motion. Everyone is getting excited and we have scrounged and grovelled for prizes and auction items. But they are coming in fast and steady. My friends never let me down and the same companies who supported us right at the start are still with us. We’re really blessed.
In the next week or so I will post the list of auction items on our facebook page. I think you will be very impressed at what we have. With so many donations …. we’re in profit already!
If you have anything you would like to donate or if you would like to attend the event, then please see the poster for all details. You can also contact us on highlandtigerfling@gmail.com
Fundraising isn’t difficult if you try. Just be patient, chose the right venue and get you friends involved. You can all do it!
Scottish Wildcat Action is the first national project to save the highly endangered Scottish wildcat from extinction. It is a partnership involving over 20 organisations, including, Scottish Natural Heritage, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), Cairngorms National Park Authority, Forestry Commission Scotland, National Museums Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. It is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Government, as well as its partners.
See www.scottishwildcataction.org for more information.
This content was made possible by our Partners & Funders at Heritage Lottery Fund
By: Maureen Laverman
Maureen is the organiser of the Highland Tiger Fling fundraising event in aid of Scottish Wildcat Action. It takes place in Alford, Aberdeenshire. The event includes a raffle, tombola and comedy act. To find out more, please visit their facebook page. We are very grateful for the incredible support that Maureen and her friends lend to the project.
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