It’s 11.30am and I’m wondering if I’ve overdone it.
A gold sequin cocktail dress, dangly earrings and red lippie before midday.
I text the friends I’m meeting to ask if I’m a bit ‘mutton-y’ (dressed as lamb).
Chloe said: “I bought a gold sequin play suit. Go hard or go home.”
This wasn’t any lunch.
It was the Help For Kids annual Dundee Ladies Lunch at Malmaison – with a gold and white theme and “Dubai vibes”.
Everyone – all 120 guests – made an effort and looked incredible.
Entering the lunch, there was a feeling of giddiness, a palpable sense of women wanting to let loose.
Five minutes in, I told one lady how great her dress was and she said “Thanks. I’m just glad I waxed my upper lip two days ago. Time for the redness to die down.”
I laughed – and didn’t stop laughing all day.
By 2.30pm we were going for it on the dance floor.
Really going for it, aided by some cocktails from Blackadders and generous sponsorship from Findlays – all whipped into a glorious event by Help for Kids brilliant Stacey Wallace.
Help for Kids Ladies Lunch raised £11,000
That’s the thing about charity dos – much of it relies on the donations of people who want to help.
Just ask Crieff Hydro, Hatch restaurant in St Andrews, the Ship Inn, PeaceFit, Dunblane Hydro and the many others who donated fabulous prizes to the action – so that every penny raised could be given to kids in deprivation in Dundee.
And that total was over £11,000.
Often with charities there’s a bit of a disconnect between what you give and how that helps.
Like the vintage top you buy from a charity shop. How much goes on staffing or shop rent? Or the £50 you donated to a good cause – how was it actually spent?
I’m lucky enough, having recently joined the board on Help For Kids – to see that almost every penny raised helps and how.
It’s not all about having the big bucks to donate a whopping cheque.
This year 300 £20 vouchers were given out to families to take kids to places like Camperdown Wildlife Park or Ryze over the summer holidays.
Six weeks is one heck of a time to fill if you don’t have the luxury of breaking it up with day trips here or a week or two away.
Or those toys your wee one got for their birthday party they don’t really want? With new storage space at DC Thomson on the Kingsway, there’s room to store plenty of new toys – as the 1,800 or so kids who get a special Santa bag with a good few presents targeted to their likes – will testify.
Every case is decided individually, referred by a social worker, class teacher, head teacher, football coach or occasionally a career themselves.
Instead of cash being given, the items needed are bought – from a new bed to adventure trip.
If you’re reading this thinking “the chance to give would be a fine thing but I cant afford new football boots I’m for my son – he’s the only boy in his team playing in ripped trainers and it breaks my heart” – Help For Kids could help you.
If you’re a teacher with a pupil who’s going to be cold come winter because they have no cosy coat – or is the only one in your class whose parents can’t afford the annual adventure trip to Dalguise – Help for Kids could be for you too.
Or if you’ve got the means and a desire to do something meaningful, I’m happy to tell you exactly what your donation – no matter the amount – is able to help.
Back to the do: The next morning, I opened one eye tentatively to gauge the soreness of head and, miraculously, it wasn’t too bad.
There’s much to be said for an early start, early finish and belly laughs with people with good hearts.
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