Duo honoured after combined 87 years volunteering with Unicef in Moray
A DUO with a combined 87 years of service to Unicef have stepped back from volunteering.
Bill Hope and Trish Kiel, who started with the charity in 1979 and 1980 respectively, were given a presentation from the charity to mark their service.
Both were given a bottle of champagne in a surprise presentation during a Sold On Soul event on Saturday, February 18.
Irene Easton, secretary of Unicef in Moray, who has been involved since 1990, said: "Both were chairperson for a spell and were very enthusiastic.
"We did a lot of things together. We held dances, had soup kitchens on the Plainstones, had a candyfloss machine, hook a duck competitions in Cooper Park, auctions, quizzes, coffee mornings and book sales."
Bill, who was head teacher at Elgin High School, was also involved with Macmillan Cancer for many years, while Trish, who also volunteers in the coffee shop at Dr Gray's, was a teacher at a primary school in Forres.
The duo were "surprised" by the presentation during the Sold on Soul event, Irene added.
"They were given a bottle of champagne at the interval of the dance," she said. "An email from Unicef HQ in London was read out congratulating them on their service.
"They were quite surprised as they didn't know anything about it."
The presentation took place During Sold on Soul – which is celebrating its 30th anniversary – as Unicef has raised almost £250,000 in Moray thanks to the event over the years.
The email read out at the event was sent by John McDonald. He said: "In Moray, during Trish and Bill’s tenure, you have raised more than £200,000 for UNICEF making you one of our longest-running and most successful fundraising groups.
"To place this incredible figure into context, today, this would enable us to deliver one million life-saving diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccines.
"This is truly astonishing, and that’s not to mention the awareness of Unicef’s work that you’ve raised in the local communities, the networks built through the raffles, cake sales, concerts and even making candy floss?!
"It is hard to quantify the scale of the impact you have made for children over the last 44 years. You have placed children front of mind for yourselves and those you have engaged with, and my thanks for this will never be enough.
"Nevertheless, please know that we are all forever grateful for your time, commitment and support of Unicef."
The next event on the calendar for the group is Sing for Ukraine on March 14. Six schools and two choirs, Made for Music Moray and a Gordonstoun choir, will be involved and all are invited to attend the event at Elgin Town Hall.
The event will get started at 7pm. Tickets are £6 for adults and £1 for children.
Unicef are now looking to plug the gap left by the departures of Bill and Trisha.
"We are always looking for new members on the committee," Irene added. "At the moment we just have four folk.
"We've never had a huge committee, usually just six or seven, but we are looking to add to it."
Anyone interested in getting involved should email either irene_easton@hotmail.com or kateimlah@hotmail.com
