A big-hearted Dumfries family have gone the eggs-tra mile this Easter.
Lee and Louisa Vann-Wakelin and their children – Lincoln, Jaydon, Kennedie, Miyah and Liberty – put out a public call to ask the Dumfries community to donate chocolate eggs for underprivileged children.
And they cracked it this week when their total reached a staggering 3,000 Easter eggs.
It means that Lee, a 46-year-old learning assistant at Dumfries High, has been able to start delivering the chocolate gifts to community and church groups and charitable organisations to give to children.
Lee said he knew it was a mountain to climb but he also believed in the goodwill of the Dumfries community which has always “dug deep” to help his previous fund-raising projects.
Funding has also come from friends in Texas.
A special touch is that because so many eggs were handed in to the Dumfries Men’s Shed, which acted as a collection point, Lee has also been able to send some to Ukrainian children fleeing the Russian invasion.
He said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support and so pleased that local children will have an Easter egg showing how much our town cares for them. 117 of the Easter eggs were given to Jamie K, a local plasterer, who took a van full of emergency essentials to the Poland and Ukraine border and was able to hand them to the young ones there.”
Dumfries residents and businesses either donated eggs or cash to buy some and Lee has documented every transaction on his fundraising social media page.
He said: “Not a single penny donated has been spent on anything other than Easter eggs. Louisa and I are honoured to cover all the costs for our time, transport, promotion, admin and similar. We can only thank the ever generous and amazing people of Dumfries and Texas who have supported our efforts to help the young within our community.
“Donations have come in from individuals, Netherlea School, Dumfries Slimming World, the hospital X-ray team, Dumfries Scooter Club, Dumfries Nationwide and many more. We are grateful to everyone who has helped us achieve 3,000 eggs.”
The eggs will now be distributed by: MOOL, First Base Agency, Aberlour, River Of Life Church, LIFT/YMCA, Lochside Community Centre, Dumfries Youthwork, baby/toddler groups, Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Beavers, Dumfries and Galloway social work team, Summerhill Centre/Sandside Garden, Dumfries Veterans Garden, Buddies Dumfries, Dumfriesshire Women’s Aid and The Trussell Trust.
