Rena’s legacy for vulnerable children in Scotland

Rena from Hamilton began fundraising for the charity CHAS 26 years ago, before its first children’s hospice, Rachel House, was even built.

In 1994, Rena and a group of friends and neighbours were inspired by an appeal in their local paper to fund the building of Scotland’s first children’s hospice.

Two years later, Rachel House hospice opened its doors to children and their families.

Rena and her friends went on to form the Friends of CHAS Earnock group and began fundraising by holding ceilidhs and car boot sales, selling Christmas cards and taking in donations from businesses and residents.

In the two decades that followed, Rena and the Friends of CHAS Earnock raised an incredible £86,000 for the children’s hospice charity.

“Our first event was a ceilidh in Hamilton Town Hall which raised £2,000,” says Rena. “We did all our own baking and really put our all into it and it was a great success. It was only supposed to be a one off but after that we just kept going and we were delighted by all the support we got locally.

“People were so incredibly generous and we will forever be grateful to every single person who helped us raise so much for CHAS. I am very proud of all the fundraising I was able to do for CHAS over the years along with my friends and neighbours – it was very much a collective effort.”

An incredible gift

Rena’s dedication led to a surprise £19,000 legacy gift being left to the charity.

“I was really pleased to learn that I helped inspire my lovely neighbour to leave such a generous gift in her Will to CHAS,” says Rena. “It’s an incredible gift that will make such a difference to some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children and their families.”

Charlene Mullan, CHAS’s Legacy and In-Memory Giving Coordinator, says, “We were completely blown away by this incredibly generous gift from Rena’s neighbour but not surprised to learn she is such an inspiration.

“Rena and the Friends of Earnock have been an integral part of the CHAS story from the very start and they should feel very proud of all they have achieved.

“We hope Rena’s story will help inspire others to consider leaving a gift in their will to CHAS, to help make every moment count for vulnerable children and their families.”

CHAS

CHAS is committed to making sure every moment families spend together is filled with as much happiness and joy as possible.

The charity currently supports over 450 families across Scotland through its two hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch, and through its CHAS at Home and virtual hospice service.

Find out more

To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to CHAS, please visit charity.chas.org.uk/gift-in-will/ or email legacy@chas.org.uk