Ness Factor contestant Tracey Morrison entered 2024 competition as way to pay tribute to late father
Ness Factor 2024 contestant Tracey Morrison says she entered the competition to pay tribute to her father, who died earlier this year.
Mrs Morrison had grown up in a musical household, hearing the likes of Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard because they were among her dad’s favourites.
At primary school she sang in a choir, and once a tad older she played classical guitar and clarinet, but singing was never a regular hobby.
She did spend lots of time volunteering and fundraising for charity though, including for the Highland Hospice through working in their coffee shop, on their events team and currently in their outlet on Harbour Road.
So when Ness Factor presented itself as an opportunity earlier this year, it seemed like the perfect way to pay tribute to her late father.
“I was due to do another fundraiser for the Hospice in February – I was going to do the London Landmarks half marathon – but I pulled out because of everything that was going on,” she said.
“When I saw the advert for Ness Factor, I thought it would be a good tribute to him to take part because he loved singing. I’m doing it in memory of him really.
“I just wanted to do something that would be a tribute to him, and hopefully make him proud.
“Ness Factor is actually two weeks before his birthday, and October is also my anniversary of volunteering with the Hospice – it will be 11 years this year.
“I think it will be emotional, but that was partly why the audition was difficult as well because I was thinking about him. Hopefully I can keep my emotions in check until the end of the night.”
Mrs Morrison will have the support of duet partner Dane Arnett, albeit the two were paired together by Ness Factor organisers without ever having previously met.
Fundraising plans are well under way too, with a quiz night booked in at the Chieftain for October 12, a football fundraiser in the works for September and a raffle to be implemented at Highland Hospice’s Harbour Road shop.
Having volunteered for the charity herself, Mrs Morrison knows just how impactful any money raised will be, and that only adds extra motivation to do well over the next couple of months.
“It’s such a good team at the Hospice, and you get to see the donations coming in and why people are putting donations in, then seeing those donations get put out to the shops,” she added.
“People come in to give donations, and some people just say ‘here you go’ and that’s it, but others tell you why they’re doing it.
“They might have lost someone in the Hospice, or used the day therapy and the community support. That can be quite emotional when you’re there speaking to people.
“Doing Ness Factor is actually quite nerve-wracking. The fundraising bit is what I’m more nervous about, but I think everyone is the same – we all just want to reach that target and have people coming along to events to support us.
“Knowing that all the money that’s raised is going towards the Hospice, which does such vital work in the Highlands and Islands, it’s good to know that I’m contributing.”
• Donate to Tracey’s GoFundMe raising money for Highland Hospice through Ness Factor 2024 here
