'There was lots of laughter' at memorial charity pub quiz for Inverness man
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The friends and family of an Inverness man who took his own life have managed to raise an incredible amount of money for suicide prevention charity Mikeysline.
The event aimed to help prevent others going through the heartache that they have faced whilst honouring Malcolm Morrison (39), of Crown, “in the spirit he would have wanted”.
The night was filled with laughs, reminiscence and drinks with friends.
Close friends Matt Davies and Brian Paxton shared the mic as hosts of the fundraising quiz which seated approximately 100 people across 16 teams.
The fundraising quiz was deemed a huge success, generating £1167.05.
Matt said: “There was a bittersweet atmosphere at the quiz as we remembered our friend Malcolm but there was lots of laughter and some dark humour which he would have appreciated.
“Malcolm’s parents Willie and Louise and his brother Hew would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that supported the event through attendance and donations.
“They would also like to say thank you to Café 1,The Sundancer in Nairn, Tomatin Distillery, La Tortilla, Culloden House Hotel, William Morrison Jeweller at Finkelstein and Thomas Newell of the Dihydro for their generous donations of raffle prizes.
“The night was a huge success and we raised £1167.05 for Mikeysline. The money will help fund the essential services that Mikeysline provides. If this can prevent just one other family from going through another tragedy then everyone who donated should pat themselves on the back.”
Matt added: “Having seen Malcolm’s parents go through this horrific ordeal, the one thing I’d like to say to anyone who is struggling is 'talk to someone'.
"No matter what the problem is, your loved ones would rather talk to you about it than talk to a funeral director about your funeral arrangements and, if you still can’t talk to your loved ones, talk to Mikeysline.”
Mikeysline chief executive officer Emily Stokes said: “We are incredibly grateful to receive such a wonderful donation of £1167.05 from Matt’s Pub Quiz he organised in memory of his friend Malcolm. We will be able to use these funds towards supporting one-to-one sessions in our Hives, train new volunteers and help cover the costs of face-to-face support in secondary schools.
“Fundraising events like this are a great way to have fun whilst raising awareness of Mikeysline. It is important for adults and young people alike to be aware of us and the work we do, so they can reach out if they need to, and know that we are here to help support in any way we can.”
There is a range of support available for anyone who is struggling with their mental health:
- Mikeysline is available via text at 07786 207755, through WhatsApp at 01463 729000, or contact it via Messenger, webchat or Twitter.
- James Support Group has established a 24-hour helpline and a network of support groups across the Highlands for people bereaved by suicide and those experiencing suicidal thoughts. They can be contacted on 07563 572471 or email support@jamessupportgroup.com
- Samaritans can be contacted for free at any time, from any phone, on 116 123, by email at jo@samaritans.org or by visiting www.samaritans.org
