IT'S been a jam packed charity fundraising week in Scotland, starting with the thousands of women taking part in last Sunday's Morrisons Great Women's 10k.
Hundreds of wonderful charities such as Macmillan, HCPT, the STV Appeal and Brightest Star, to name but a few benefited greatly thanks to so many fantastic ladies taking part.
I was up in beautiful Crieff on Tuesday at Campbell's Bakery on King Street where I was given the challenge to jam and ice 250 empire biscuits to sell for the Make a Wish Foundation in conjunction with Scottish Apprenticeship Week, a charity which endeavours to grant magical wishes to children and young people fighting life threatening conditions.
Nowhere near as energetic as running a 10k granted but I promise you, trying to use a piping bag full of jam neatly on 250 biscuits when you're against the clock and with about 10 people standing watching you was no picnic, I can assure you.
By the end of it I had so much jam down the front of my apron I looked like a butcher rather than a baker. Think of the fabulous Ford Kiernan in Chewing the Fat as the chef who just can't get that little olive to sit on his leaning tower of Pisa starter, trying in vain until he finally loses it and starts smashing up the kitchen and screaming at the top of his lungs.
Yes dear reader, that was almost my reaction when icing empire biscuit number 134, only kidding of course as it was a great day with special thanks going to Chief Executive of Scottish Bakers Alan Clarke, Iain Campbell and all his staff for giving up their time and cakes for such a great cause.
Lastly, on our round up of charitable work this week, is my good friend Gary Innes from the band MÃ nran. I've worked with Gary and the boys many times most notably on the official STV Appeal single Take You There which we co wrote together and had the legendary Phil Cunningham in the studio to produce it.
Well Gary and Phil went back into the studio again to write and produce Scotland's first ever collaborative Folk single to mark the centenary of the World War I Battle of Festubert with all proceeds going to
Scotland's veterans' charity Erskine.
Alongside Gary and Phil are some of the world's most talented Celtic performers including, Treacherous Orchestra, Skerryvore, Rura, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Julie Fowlis, Duncan Chisholm, Scott Wood and Siobhan Miller.
The great highland bagpipes can be heard throughout but it is one particular set that are at the very heart of why this single has come to fruition.
Award winning piper Duncan MacGillivray plays on a set of World War I bagpipes that belonged to fallen relative, Lance Corporal Donald Paterson of the 4th Cameron Highlanders.
The charity single will be released exactly 100 years to the day that 23-year-old Donald fell, alongside 17,000 allied soldiers at the Battle of Festubert part of the second Battle of Artois.
His pipes were used to rally troops as they went over the top into battle and after his death were sent home to his family.
They were rediscovered in 1975 with the blood stains of their owner still clearly visible on the bag.
A tragic story but one that could perhaps help raise vital funds for a wonderful charity that I've had the pleasure to be involved with over so many years.
The track is called Our Heroes and it's simply stunning with an array of musical instruments, vocals and the unsurpassable voice of Iain Anderson who is heard reciting selected passages from a World War I poem written by Sir Owen Seaman.
Our Heroes charity single is available to purchase now from all downloadable music sites and for more information about Erskine and all the good work it does simply log onto www.erskine.org.uk
Happy special Birthday to my best friend in the whole wide world Carrie Margaret Lynch Fivey.
You once said to me many many years ago, "Sweetie if you've done half as much as I've done by the time you get to my age you'll be doing well."
Truth is in almost 16 years I haven't even come close to your wonders but I'll keep trying.
Can't wait to celebrate in style with you on Saturday xxx
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