Generous 'Bill' restores the spirit of Christmas

A Polmont man came to the rescue when a sneaky thief stole a prime bottle of whisky from the Christmas raffle hamper at a charity shop.
Strathcarron Hospice Shop retail supervisor Jennifer Smith, as pictured a couple of weeks ago just after a mean-spirited thief filched the jewel in the crown of the annual festive raffle hamper.  Now, thanks to an anonymous donor, the spirit of Christmas has been restored.Strathcarron Hospice Shop retail supervisor Jennifer Smith, as pictured a couple of weeks ago just after a mean-spirited thief filched the jewel in the crown of the annual festive raffle hamper.  Now, thanks to an anonymous donor, the spirit of Christmas has been restored.
Strathcarron Hospice Shop retail supervisor Jennifer Smith, as pictured a couple of weeks ago just after a mean-spirited thief filched the jewel in the crown of the annual festive raffle hamper. Now, thanks to an anonymous donor, the spirit of Christmas has been restored.

But “Bill from Polmont” doesn’t want any personal publicity, and says he’s only too pleased he’s been able to help the Strathcarron Hospice Shop appeal.

Thanks to him the hamper has more whisky than before the theft, along with all the other items designed to brighten some lucky raffle winner’s Christmas Day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Staff at the popular Stenhousemuir outlet were horrified last month to find that a key item – a bumper bottle of 12-year-old Glenmorangie single malt whisky – had been filched by a greedy or posibly just desperate thief.

The hamper stuffed with goodies is a festive favourite at the shop, and customers would still have bought tickets for it – but retail supervisor Jennifer Smith says everyone who heard about the theft of the bottle, kindly donated by a volunteer, had been sickened by such a heartless act.

“We’ve had a big response from shoppers, and the tickets are now selling really well,” she said, adding that there’s no chance of another criminally-minded Grinch stealing the shop’s “spirit of Christmas”.

“Bill from Polmont” told the Falkirk Herald he was one of the many local people who has had personal experience, because of a close relative, of the work carried out at Strathcarron Hospice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He took it upon himself to contact Glenmorangie, who generously donated a one litre bottle of the brand, and he was delighted to drop it off at the shop in person – along with a bonus bottle from his own collection.

Hospice Shop manager Lucia Zarebski said: “It was a lovely thing for him, to do and we can’t thank him enough.

“We have been very touched by all the people who have been in touch with us here at Strathcarron.”