Pop-up shop raises bags of cash for Parkinson’s UK

April 8, 2024

A Kirkcudbright fundraiser has generated bags of cash for Parkinson’s UK.

Irene Mitchell organised a handbag pop-up shop in Pure Beauty, with hundreds of handbags changing hands.

And that, combined with a raffle and a silent auction for a chair she had re-upholstered, raised £2002.20 for the charity.

Irene said: “The generosity of people was amazing.

“We must have had 300 handbags – you brought a handbag and bought a handbag.

“Beforehand people were handing in bags of handbags and in my house before we started, I had more than 100 handbags.

“I’m left with a lot of handbags but I believe there’s a Parkinson’s group in Ayr has seen what I did and thought they could do the same – so they can have them!

This reupholstered chair was the subject of a silent auction

“If I have any left I hope to do a car boot sale and raise money for Parkinson’s.”

Irene has raised money for a number of charities over the years but this was the first time she chose Parkinson’s.

She said: “A friend and neighbour has got Parkinson’s and I know a few people with it.

“I went to the Parkinson’s cafe which has started in Kirkcudbright and it’s amazing how many people have Parkinson’s. It’s really quite sad.

“The money is going to stay local, which is good.”

The Parkinson’s UK cafe takes place in Kirkcudbright’s Johnston Centre between 1.30pm and 3pm on the first Tuesday of the month.

Local bakers provide delicious cakes with the cafe offering information, support and development of friendships to people with Parkinson’s, their families, friends and carers.

April is World Parkinson’s Month with World Parkinson’s Day on April 11.

The Stewartry group is asking for buildings to be lit up in Parkinson’s chosen colour of blue, people to wear blue, make blue cakes or dress shop windows in blue.

Group member Lynn Jackson, who co-ordinates the cafe, said: “We feel it is important to bring more awareness about the increase to the number of people now having a diagnosis of Parkinson’s and especially amongst younger people.

“We also need to have a better knowledge of the difficulties Parkinson’s presents to those living with it.

“If you find yourself in Kirkcudbright and wonder why certain buildings are lit up blue, it is community recognition of those living with Parkinson’s, their families and carers and how the quote ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ is a metaphor Kirkcudbright recognises and acts upon for all of us here.”

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