Wedding belle as Oban mum-to-be wins raffle

An Oban mum-to-be will marry her fiance next February after winning a wedding package raffle worth £15,000.

 

Karen MacInnes organised the raffle to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease.

 

She smashed her £5,000 target and has so far raised £6,500 for MND Scotland.

 

Trica McLeod's name was pulled out of a bag on Valentine's Day from 615 names, but as she is already happily married, she passed on the prize to her friend Lynsey McDonald.

 

Lynsey  said the 'unexpected' gift made her 'so happy' and she is set to marry her fiance Seamus MacCrone on February 13, next year.

 

Karen organised the raffle after Oban man Brian MacDonald was diagnosed with MND aged just 42.

 

Karen is no stranger to fundraising. In 2018, she organised the renowned We'll Walk This Road Together charity concert in the Corran Halls, which raised more than £15,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Scotland.

 

Karen said she was 'overwhelmed' by the generosity and support for the raffle and thanked everyone who bought a ticket and donated a prize.

 

'It is a lot of their time and money,' she said. 'It was unbelievable when I saw it go up. I was sitting in work and every 10 minutes I was checking the progress. I was getting nervous and excited watching the total roll in.'

 

Speaking about why she organised the fundraiser, Karen said: 'I have no idea where the idea came from. I had the bug for fundraising and I thought what can I do next. I tested it with a few people and I started with the bigger prizes - I spoke with Amanda at the Argyllshire Gathering Halls and she was delighted to do the catering.'

 

'That in itself is massive,' Karen added.

 

From there, she contacted other businesses and ended up with a package worth £15,000.

 

The winner was chosen just after 9pm last Friday and Claire McCuish and Laura-Ann MacDonald had the honour of drawing the raffle live on Facebook.

 

Speaking to The Oban Times, Lynsey McDonald said: 'I was not expecting it at all. It is amazing.'

 

She said that when they found out they were expecting a baby, the wedding was pushed down the priority list.

 

'Thanks so much to Tricia,' Lynsey added. 'It was so unexpected and I am so happy.'

 

The donation page will remain open until the end of the month for anyone who wishes to contribute, however, as the winner has been selected there will be nothing further to win.

 

To donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/karen-macinnes4

 

What has Lynsey won?

 

 

• A venue and catering for 75 guests thanks to Argyllshire Gathering Halls, as well as table and chair covers, table centrepieces, and a wedding arch

 

• £350 towards wedding flowers from Thistle and Rose

 

• £350 towards a wedding cake from Natalie's Cupcakery

 

• LJF Photography will capture the event from ceremony until first dance

 

• Marina's Bridal has donated £500 for dresses

 

• Chalmers Oban has given £330 towards a fully-fitted kilt

 

• Oro Rosa Make-up & Beauty has donated bridal make-up and nails

 

• The Beauty Lounge has donated a full set of lashes and eyebrow wax/tint

 

• Raven Hairstyling and Barbering will give a gents' haircut and hot towel shave

 

• The Iona Shop has donated £50 towards wedding bands

 

• Oban Executive Car Hire will drive the bride

 

• Niall Jordan will pipe on the day

 

• Soroba House has donated 15 bottles of Prosecco

 

• Tesco Oban has donated £100 towards Champagne

 

• Humanist Shona Sharp has offered to wed them

 

• DJ George Noble

 

• Rock and Reel Band

 

• BOHO Brow & Beauty his and her facials

 

• Claire MacCuish @ Spruce Bridal hair

 

• Eric Smith World Travel £100 towards honeymoon

 

• Tina MacGillvray wedding favours

 

• Wee Bay Teepees offered two teepees for children