Bo'ness Belles present bumper charity cheques
The Bo’ness Belles have raised more than £50,000 in the 13 years since the choir was first formed by local woman, Jeni Mallace.
In that time, as well as performing for free at care homes near and far, the choir have also fundraised for good causes in their home town.
Last year, that saw the Belles perform a number of gigs both in the town and elsewhere, as well as staging their own bake sales, a Hallowe’en disco and Christmas events.
With the support of the good folk of Bo’ness, the Belles managed to amass £4000 for charity in 2025.
And last Wednesday, at their usual rehearsal in the hall at Bo’ness Parish Church, the Belles were able to present two bumper cheques to the latest recipients.
Both the town’s Andy’s Man Club and Riverview Community were delighted to received £2000 each.
Andy's Man Club meets every Monday in the town’s Bridgeness Welfare Society and Social Club. Meetings are free of charge, with no booking or registration required.
The group is open to any man aged 18 or over looking for a safe, non-judgmental space to talk.
Riverview Community is a faith-based charity which oversees the work of The Junction in Seaview Place car park.
Volunteers from local churches have transformed the old tourist information office into a welcoming space and help people to make connections with support groups and services that could change the direction of their lives.
The Belles wanted to support charities working to help people with their mental health.
Jeni said: “It’s nice for a group of women to be supporting a men’s charity, which is why we opted to help Andy’s Man Club. It works to break down the stigma of mental health for men, who are perhaps not as comfortable as women talking about their health problems.
“The Junction does a power of work too, helping people with a range of issues – from addiction to trauma.
“We wanted to support mental health charities this year and both charities were over the moon with the donations received.
“However, we couldn’t do what we do if it wasn’t for the support of people in Bo’ness who give so generously to help us fundraise. We’d like to thank them for their help.”
The Junction volunteers were “chuffed to bits” to receive the donation from the Belles, whom they described as ‘a fantastic local treasure’.
A spokeswoman added: “We’re blessed to have such a kind-hearted group of talented ladies in our town. Their hard work and generosity through this gift means we can continue to offer everything we do to reach the most vulnerable, completely free of charge.”
In addition to their free performances at local care homes, the Belles are looking forward to a packed programme in 2026.
It will also see them perform their first concerts since 2019, with two nights booked at the Barony Theatre on September 10 and 11.
Jeni added: “We recruited four Belles last year so we now have 21 members. We’re all really excited about the Barony concerts as it’s not something we usually do and it’s for a home audience.”