Forres Mechanics donate £1000 to local charities
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FORRES Mechanics have been giving back to the local community during the coronavirus crisis.
Despite facing their own problems with football on the back burner during lockdown, Mechanics last week donated £1000, made through the club’s lotto scheme, to three organisations.
MS Scotland were given £500, while Forres Girls FC and Forres Area Community Trust, on behalf of Forres Food Larder, received £250 apiece.
The Can-Cans are fulfilling a long-term commitment to help local causes, according to club secretary Ian Wood.
He said: “When we started the Cans Fans Lotto we made a commitment that worthy charities and local organisations would also benefit from the lotto funds.
“We are delighted to give these donations totalling £1000 to these groups.”
With the lotto having been on the go for a year, this is the first batch of money that has been handed on by the club.
But the three causes, which were chosen for a number of reasons, will not be the last to benefit.
There is hope that this can become a biennial or annual handover at some point in the future.
Mr Wood added: “This is the first instalment of what we at the club hope will become a more frequent and more generous event.
“MS Scotland was a charity suggested by long-time supporter and multiple sclerosis sufferer Paul Wright.
“Forres Food Larder was chosen because of the increased demand for their service, especially during the current crisis.
“In terms of Forres Girls: it’s local, it’s football and lots of parents in our youth development section have children who play there too.”
Meanwhile, Forres Mechanics are currently doing some fundraising of their own.
The club recently signed up to the Donate a Ticket scheme, along with fellow Moray sides Buckie Thistle, Keith, Rothes and Lossiemouth.
The scheme, set up to keep money flowing in for football clubs across Scotland and further afield during lockdown, has seen Cans supporters raise nearly £2000 for their club to date.
Over the weekend, the Cans took part in the scheme’s Cross Country Cup – and were faced with the task of selling more virtual tickets than Cork City, which they did.
You can donate to Mechanics at https://donateaticket.com/donate/forres-mechanics/.
The second round of the Cross Country Cup will take place this weekend.
The Cans Fans Lotto is open to all. A draw is made weekly with the jackpot starting at £1000 and rising until it reaches £3000 – at which point someone must win. The lotto costs £2 per week to enter, with £200 given away every week to four local entrants if there is no jackpot winner.
You can visit https://lotto.forresmechanics.net/ or find a form to fill out on page 15 of this week's Forres Gazette.
