Karen Koren: Kath brings home the beef at charity gig

My lovely daughter-in-law Susan arranged a fabulous Ladies Late Summer High Tea on Sunday at Garvock House Hotel in Dunfermline. Kath Mainlan, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, was the speaker and what a good job she did.

I haven’t experienced the high tea tradition before - it is different from afternoon tea. High tea is fish and chips or some such main course, then scones, clotted cream, jam and cakes.

We all got a drink of bubbly on arrival and viewed the raffle prizes, making us buy more tickets; in fact, there were so many sold that they ran out of raffle tickets.

There was also a jewellery sale - a great idea, as people donated their old jewellery. I recognised some of the necklaces and pendants that I had given Susan to sell.

The event raised much- needed funds for a soft play area for Calaiswood School, one of the top schools in Scotland for children with special needs. 

My granddaughter Eve is a pupil there and her mum is the secretary of the parent council. I have to say I was a very proud mother-in-law.

Kath’s talk was informative, funny, inspiring and passionate. I don’t know anyone who loves her job as much and does her job as well as Kath. She is an inspiration and gave the ladies a real insight into the Fringe.

I took a group of old friends along and Katy, my daughter, had her old school friends there. Susan made the raffle draw great fun and everyone was sure they were going to win something – and every table did. 

I won a token for butcher’s meat from the best butcher in Dunfermline – that’s my grandchildren’s food sorted for at least one weekend.