Ellon Barber Proves She’s a Cut Above the Rest 15 March 2024 Angela Birnie set out to raise £500 for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland…only to make ten times that amount. I’ve had family members and customers who have had strokes and I care about my family and customers and I just want to help people locally. Angela Birnie wanted “to do some good” to mark 40 years in business at Al’s Barber Shop in Ellon. The 67-year-old’s mother had a stroke in 2019 before she passed away and her father had heart disease. So the grandmother held a prize draw in aid of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland in October last year with dozens of prizes donated by local businesses and kind-hearted locals. Angela couldn’t believe the end result when she raised £5,100 from an original aim of £500. She said: “I wanted to mark the 40 years in business and I wanted to do something good. “I’ve had family members and customers who have had strokes and I care about my family and customers and I just want to help people locally. “I know of the work CHSS do nationally and everything they do for people and I wanted to help out. I carry advice cards now that I hand out to customers. “I’ve just been overwhelmed by the generosity of customers, businesses and friends alike. I feel very fortunate.” Angela’s husband, Neil, said she is very much the fabric of the Ellon community and the support her fundraiser was shown is a testament to that fact. Anne Magarin, Community, Events and Corporate Fundraiser for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland said: “We are so thankful to Angela and the Ellon community for raising such a tremendous amount of money for CHSS. “It’s amazing to see the whole community rally behind Angela’s fundraising efforts and give so generously for such a worthwhile cause. “The funds raised will help us to support the 1 in 5 people across the country who are living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid to live their lives to the full.” Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is committed to reaching 175,000 people living with its conditions across Scotland a year by 2028 through its Community Healthcare Support Services. To find out more about fundraising for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland visit www.chss.org.uk/supportus/fundraise-for-us/ If you’re living with the effects of a chest, heart or stroke condition or Long Covid and looking for advice and information, please contact Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. You can also text NURSE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.