Working alongside staff from Inverclyde voluntary centre and Inverclyde council’s Active Schools and Sport Development Team my children and I were given the opportunity to give Ravenscraig Primary’s playground a make-over. All told around 20 volunteers revamped the area with masonry paint.
Mary has been working with Sound Engineer Student Laura McBain writing and recording jingles for a hospital charity radio station, Radio West Fife.
Mary has been working with 6th year pupils and staff from Glenburn School (Now called St. Andrew’s Primary School) since last year (2008). Working via the Inverclyde Voluntary Centre, they have completed painting the front two walls of Ladybird Nursery and began painting the playground. Here’s the story so far….
This year, All Women’s Day was held in Port Glasgow Town Hall. Previous events have been held in Greenock Town Hall but, with the event being aimed at women from all around Inverclyde and with Port Glasgow undergoing a major regeneration, the organisers decided to try a change of venue.
During this event the Woman of the Year award is given. Each year, in conjunction with the Greenock Telegraph, unsung hero’s are nominated in recognition of the fact they always put others first, give unselfishly of their time for others, and/or campaign tirelessly on behalf of others, or may have achieved something remarkable against the odds. Previous nominees have been from all walks of life ie businesswomen, volunteers, carers etc
Diane and her team are given the task of organising the programme for the Woman’s day event. It included drama, workshops on various topics and a fashion show. The event attracted hundreds of women.
Here is the lowdown on the present and previous winners…
Greenock gal Moira has raised £50,000 for charity. She said: “I want to thank everyone who voted for me and I would like to thank all the finalists. You are all so nice and deserve this, not just me.”
Moira vows to continue fundraising. She said: “I am not going to give up fundraising. Not ever. This will raise my profile. I have this for a year and I can work with this title. I can’t believe it.”
All of the finalists were taken to Port Glasgow Town Hall courtesy of ABC Limo Hire and received flowers and chocolates.
Moira was nominated for the award by her young son, Lee, eight, who wrote in with the help of big sister Amanda, 18. The young Highlanders’ Academy pupil said: “My mum has raised thousands of pounds for charity and I am very proud of her.” Moira’s first task when she left All Women’s Day yesterday afternoon was to pick her son up from school. She said: “He was very excited this morning.”
Amanda, who attended All Women’s Day, to support Moira said: “I knew my mum would win, although she kept saying she wouldn’t. She doesn’t look for any recognition.”
Moira’s fundraising crusades are made all the more impressive by the fact she has a heart condition and a rare genetic disorder that increases the risk of her suffering potentially fatal blood clots.
Her first fundraising event was a fashion show featuring colleagues from T-Mobile. It raised £2,000 and Moira was hooked on the buzz of raising cash for good causes.
Moira was embarrassed at being short-listed for woman of the year, as she does not do her charity work for recognition, but simply because she enjoys it. She is now planning to raise cash for Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Sneaky Lee managed to get his entry to us without his mum knowing and she only found out when she got a phone call to say she had been short-listed for the finals.
Lee said he was very proud of his mum for raising £40,000 for Cash for Kids and a further £10,000 for Ardgowan Hospice — and our readers agreed.
Annette McIntyre, last year’s winner, presented the Woman of the Year Trophy, sponsored by James Watt College (Now West College Scotland), to Moira, who also received chocolates, wine, flowers, Top Deck membership from Inverclyde Leisure, a meal for two at the Chartroom, Inverkip, and hair vouchers from One Union Spa. Ruth Cooper, of James Watt College, assisted Annette with the presentation. Annette donated a kidney to her best friend, Helen Giff.
Annette, 54, received her award in March 2007 at the event in Greenock Town Hall. Thanks to Annette, Helen now lives a normal life
Last year, Annette received her trophy from Ina Miller, who was crowned Woman of the year in 2006. Ina, who is in her 60s, was nominated for the award for her sterling efforts to raise money for people with asthma.
Way back on 12 September, 1983, she set up a support group for people with asthma — and, today, more than 25 years on, it is still going strong.
Gran Ina, has lost count of the number of people she has helped over the years. She has raised more than £200,000, which has enabled her to buy 3,000 nebulisers to help adults and children with respiratory ailments.
Despite her stalwart efforts, Ina never looks for recognition, running her charity without fuss. And she takes great pride in the fact she has never turned down a request for a nebuliser.
Ina received her award from Margaret Barry, who was Woman of the Year in 2005. Margaret, who is in her 50s, secured hundreds of votes from Tele readers who were inspired by her ability to look after her two teenage daughters, who have special needs, while still finding the time to work tirelessly in the community. At the time, Margaret was a member of the PTA at Lilybank School. She was also helping set up a centre for young adults with autistic spectrum disorders.
Over these past few years, having been asked to sing by Morag Wilson, I’ve had the pleasure of attending the Woman’s Day. I’ve even got my daughters involved. All women are made very welcome. There’s the opportunity to get pampered from James Watt College staff and students, get info on various topics and events in and around Inverclyde and be entertained with dancing, drama etc. It’s a great day!!
I’ve had the pleasure of singing with different bands over the past few years including JWC band, Benny and the boys as well as others…
Here are some samples of this…
Mary singing “Sitting on Top of the World” with John & Benny’s Blues Band
Sitting on top of the world was recorded by Graeme Sutherland
For the past few years my family and I have participated in the various community projects ranging from computing classes, arts & crafts, family learning drama, learning showcases (in the Port Town Hall and Arts Guild), music workshops and fun days. Various people have been instrumental in helping myself and my children learn and develop in different ways, especially Lana Lord and oor Jocie Robertson who teach family learning drama. I’ve been given the opportunity to sing various songs including the celtic song ‘She moved through the fare’ to musical theatre singing ‘As long as he needs me’ in the Arts Guild. My sister Maz and I also dueted on ‘I know him so well’. Unforgettable moments also seeing my children perform to sold out venues.
Here’s a sample of ‘Fields of gold’ which I sang in Port Town Hall a
couple of years back…
For my EP Ravenscraig Primary sang with me on the song I co-wrote with my Dad called ‘Life is a Journey’. The senior choir did a fantastic job. Thanks to Mrs Lind and Mrs Howie and of course the choir for doing this. Dave Curry also did a fantastic job recording, producing and playing the bass on the EP!!
You can listen to a sample of the song on the Music Page.
As the highlight when studying Music I was given the opportunity to work along with Kilmacolm Primary school on their school project, which was to write and produce a CD called “Musical Mayhem”
We worked with Primary’s 5, 6 and 7 writing songs on various topics such as Teachers, School trips etc. Along with other students from James Watt College, the CD was written, rehearsed, recorded and produced in 6 weeks!
Primary 6 and 7 sang a song that I wrote for them especially called
“All The Songs Were Singing”, which can be sampled below.
Speaking for myself I will never forget how enthusiastic and hard-working the pupils, Head Teacher Sheena MacFarlane and teachers were in completing this project..
Especially Primary 6/7 teachers Laura Hogan and Wendy Foreman
It was a pleasure to work with them and we had a fantastic time!!
