The ARCHIE Foundation

Parishes throughout Orkney 'Celebrated with Emily' and helped raise an amazing £10,000

A series of concerts in Orkney this month has raised an incredible £10,000 for The ARCHIE Foundation, the official charity of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.

The ARCHIE Foundation run the Parent’s Accommodation Suite at the hospital, which provides a vital base for families from outside Aberdeen, whose children are receiving treatment there – one of whom is 15 year old Emily Findlay from Orphir. Emily was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last year and since then has spent many months at the hospital getting treatment. Now Emily wants to raise money for the unit, which has played such an importantrole in her life. Emily has teamed up with Gwenda Shearer and together the pair have put together a series of seven concerts which are being called "Celebrate with Emily".

Photo above: 200 people at Orphir Community Centre all 'Celebrating Emily's 16th birthday'

The idea originally came from a discussion about a concert party group from Orphir, which toured the parishes in the 1950s.  The concert party’s ‘bill’ consisted of a band (the Anderson and Robson Brothers), singers, a magician and amusing sketches played out by the members of the group.  The “Celebrate with Emily” events aim to recreate the concert party vibe and will bring this entertainment to six Orkney parishes.  The series of events commenced at Kirkwall Arts Theatre on Saturday 17^th September and ended in style at Orphir Community Centre on the 1st of October, Emily’s sixteenth birthday. 

Photo above: Kirkwall City Pipeband 

Emily Findlay commented:

“The ARCHIE foundation is a fantastic charity! It provides the parent accommodation at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital where parents andrelatives can stay close to their children whilst they are in hospital.  My family (especially mum) spent many months living in the parent accommodation. ARCHIE also fund the Paediatric Pain Management Nurse who has played a vital role in managing my pain relief. Every child admitted to Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital benefits in some way from the work of The Archie Foundation.

I wanted to plan events that folk could really enjoy, something a little bit different whilst celebrating my sixteenth birthday and raising money at the same time."

Cassie Thompson, Fundraising Manager for The ARCHIE Foundation commented:

"On behalf of The ARCHIE Foundation, I would like to express our very warm and sincere thanks to The Findlay Family and Gwenda Shearer for thinking up and organising the fundraiser. I was very fortunte to attend and thought all of the acts were fantastic. Emily is an inspiration to so many people and I would like to thank everyone from the parishes throughout Orkney who 'Celebrated with Emily' throughout the end of September and on Emily's birthday. It all helped raise vital funds for ARCHIE. Also, a huge thank you to everyone who kindly donated raffle and auction items for the event. It was a such a success and an amazing amount was achieved." 

Photo above: Birthday girl Emily Findlay and her friend Mhairi who travelled all the way from Inverness, both looking glamarous in their dresses

Photo above: Emily Findlay cutting her 16th birthday cake with her Mother Michelle and Max her baby brother