Brown bags from McDonalds boost sick kids' facility
CUSTOMERS of McDonald’s restaurants in Inverness have helped raise more than £100,000 for “home away from home” facility for families of children being treated at the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.
Over the last three years, McDonald’s restaurants in the Highland capita and Aberdeen generated the money for a new Ronald McDonald House, due to open in spring next year.
Money was raised through the sales of brown food bags.
Franchisee Craig Duncan and his team felt this was a great way to support the development and give their customers a chance to do so too.
“For the last three years the staff, customers and I have been proud to contribute the bag tax money from the restaurants to this important project,” said Mr Duncan, who owns and operates eight restaurants across Inverness and Aberdeen.
“Ronald McDonald Houses offer an invaluable service to families throughout the UK and we look forward to getting involved in more fundraising for the Scottish house and the wider charity in the future.”
The new Ronald McDonald House, which will cost in the region of £3 million, is expected to look after as many as 500 families each year. It will be located on the top floor of the new children’s hospital and will include communal areas such as lounges, kitchens, laundry facilities and a playroom.
While NHS Lothian is meeting the expense of the hospital itself, the £3 million cost of building the extra facility, together with the annual £300,000 running costs, is being met by Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Scottish McDonald’s restaurants have raised a total of £1 million for the Edinburgh house since 2014.
