Boxer helps smash funds target for new hospital

A Scots heavyweight boxer is encouraging men to ditch their razors for charity

Picture: Gary Cornish, 9 year-old Noah Menzies, of Ardgay, who has recently been diagnosed with Crohns Disease and is currently in the Childrens Ward at Raigmore Hospital

Gary Cornish, a professional boxer from Inverness, has signed up to the Beard for Bairns challenge in aid of the Highland children’s unit at Raigmore Hospital.

Between Christmas Day and Burns night on 25 January, men are being asked not to shave and to share their pictures and stories on the ARCHIE Highland social media pages.

By ditching their razors and embracing the fuzz, the campaign aims to smash the final £200K required to build the world class Highland children’s unit.

Hoping his support will pack a punch, Cornish said: “I’m delighted not to be shaving for a month. It’s a great cause, and it will help so many children from across the Highlands.

“Sometimes it can be hard to find the time to do your bit for charity – but this is so easy, in fact it requires less work not more, and can help shave an extra five minutes of men’s’ morning routines.”

It’s the 5th year the Beards for Bairns campaign has run and the ARCHIE Highland team are hoping to make 2015 a record-breaking year.

To get involved, individuals are required to pledge a minimum of £10. Every pound raised will go towards the ARCHIE Highland Children’s Unit appeal, which has the final £200K to reach the £2 million pound mark.

Gary’s daytime boss, Brian Innes, director of IBI Joiners, who earlier helped raise a massive £10,000 for ARCHIE Highland when he was part of a group from Inverness who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, has also pledged his support for the Beard for Bairns appeal.

Laura Mackintosh, head of fundraising for ARCHIE (Highlands and Western Isles) said: “Beard for Bairns is traditionally a really popular way for men to get involved in fundraising as it’s so easy to do.

“Beards are in fashion, so it’s a great excuse for men to ditch the razor and see what kind of beard they would grow. It’s also a great fundraiser for workplaces to get involved in over the festive period.

“We are now so close to our target of £2 million, and even if half the men in Highland pledged their support, we would smash our target.”