Karen goes museum-bagging for charity

Dunbeg's Karen Bernard is bagging museums on a year-long challenge before her 80th birthday.

 

The 79-year-old grandmother is raising funds for Oban and Lorn Dementia Support Group and Alzheimer Scotland as she tots up as many accredited museums as she possibly can - as well as Historic Scotland and National Trust places across Scotland.

 

So far her adventures have taken her to 40 of them between East Lothian and the

 

Orkney Islands.

 

"attachment_999058" "" "225"] Karen Bernard at Scapa Flow on her museum bagging mission before her 80th birthday
NO-TY32_KarenBernard-2023-Scapa Flow

 

Most recently she was at Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow, but her journeys have not been without mishap - although it is all in a good cause, she says.

 

A trip to see the Museum of Scottish Railways in Bo'ness involved a wrong turning that landed her queuing with lorries at Grangemouth port.

 

"They didn't chase me out but they didn't want me there either! It's all part of the challenge, it's turning into quite the adventure. I have to be well organised and plan it all out - usually it works out well," said Karen, who is also a volunteer watchkeeper at Oban War and Peace Museum.

 

"It's a fabulous little place and now I have lots of other museums to compare it to - but it's still up there in my favourites!" she said.

 

Karen added: "I've always been a fan of social history and museums. There's so much to keep learning about. I'm a very mature Open University student - my last module was about European History."

 

Next on her list of places to visit is Perthshire, Kinross and the Falkirk area, but always in her mind and heart is the reason why she has taken on the challenge.

 

"As well as keeping my own brain active it is for the precious people I have sadly lost to dementia and Alzheimers," said Karen, who is a member of Oban and Lorn Dementia Support Group.

 

Her mother-in-law was the first person she lost, then there was the death of a friend she had known since 1971 who did not recognise her in the end.

 

"An older cousin also passed away two years ago, He was the kindest, most gentle man you ever met, He'd been a high school teacher and lecturer. He'd kept me under his wing. Losing him really hit home hard, that this could happen to such a person. It's so upsetting that they don't have a clue who you are. Losing loved ones to this horrid disease is dreadful."

 

Karen added: "I would really like to raise money to fight it and to raise awareness. Also, just in case something is running up the back to catch up with me, I wanted to do something special in my 80th year to challenge myself."

 

You can help support Karen by visiting her Justgiving page here: www.justgiving.com/page/karen-bernard