I'm raising £950

Thanks for taking the time to visit my Just giving page We are Raising Money for the new Bee keeping safe Teaching and viewing Shed at the Veterans Gardens Dumfries

Some of you may know me others will not so here is my story and what I try and achieve

Dear Sir /Madam

I not sure how to put this across but I will make a start on the subject as I am not very good with words I say it how it comes out never did English only Scottish

I raise Money for various charities and have been doing this since 2006 all the Charities and organisations are all within the Dumfries and Galloway region

These are all smaller one's as I'm not into Multi Nationality Charities that are taking money for wages buildings company cars etc .

As you will probably have seen I do get into the papers quite a bit from time too time some of the money that I raise is out of my own pocket.

If I have a bit extra it goes Into the pot and when it hits a certain Amount it goes to a deserved charity or Organisation.

I attend the Dumfries veterans gardens on a regular basis no am not a Veteran or TA member or RAF - Royal Navy no cup and saucer

I am just Joe bloggs the Civilian who donated a cheque early on and when I was up they noticed something was wrong and asked the people who were with me what was up.

The reason came out as I had lost my Papa to Leukemia Granny to Cancer Brother and Dad both too Suicide within a year

Then my wife to Secondary Breast cancer after a long hard battle which went to her brain this all happened between 2006 and 2021

It took its toll big time especially when trying to holding down a fulltime occupation as an HGV driver.

I was taken on board and went through the veterans councillor and attended the gardens Most days when I was feeling ok to go.

I made alot of good friends so I donated a cheque to say thank you for all the help and support they gave me

We got talking one day about Bees and how they were also therapeutic and I happened to have someone who had some old hives.

Myself and Veteran Jim Cherry went and looked at them bringing the stuff back to sort out at the Gardens.

This gave Jim a new lease of life as he was like a wee lost person at the gardens but it fired his brain cells once again and along with a few chats with the Reverend Tom Bonnar they would have a go at starting up a Bee hive colony

I then purchased a new Hive and the start up kit to get us going along with a donation of bees from a fellow bee keeper the start was made we also purchased a new Honey Spinner and Jars donated again by myself to say thanks

Jim had an idea of a Teaching shed so the kids Adults and Veterans could come and see the bees at work making the honey using a special hive with perspex on it so know one would get stung.

The shed I am hoping to try and get funding for needs to be around a 10x8 or an 8x6 I have these daft ideas

I did say it may take time to raise the funds for the shed which would be Purchased from a local Kingholm Key shed Builder.

One thing I never do is disclose the money people donate to me for the charities

I wouldnt want everyone knocking at there doors for Money but I always put an article in the paper to say thanks only naming them if they wish.

I will be honest if it hadn't been for the help from the Gardens councillor and the rest of the team I wouldn't of been writing this today as the edge and darkness were all there the end was onsite

The point of no turning back the NHS side was doing nothing apart from filling you full of hard pills like Damazapan which was no good and murder to get off.

When I get time off I still head upto the Gardens for a wander( walk around) talk over a few things if it's needed to clear the head out and gently calm down over Coffee and Cakes or scones that's why I am chubby

Once a month I attend the Breakfast club talking crap and getting the Camera out to take pictures of flowers etc.

I was one of the founder members of the Solway Vehicle Enthusiasts club which was started by a bunch of enthusiastic vehicle enthusiasts all dedicated in raising money for local Dumfries and Galloway organisations

All with the same passion it must say local within the region and no multi national charities would be considered unless it was for C.H.A.S

I had a few good years with them before leaving as it wasn't for me anymore leaving in 2017

But the bug never goes away it was just waiting to fire up again and few weeks off then it was right let's start raising money

This time it was go it alone only me when it goes wrong no one to answer too since then is been no turning back it was supposedly to slow down in 2022 to 2024 but it hasn't yet.

Thank again

Dougie Smith