PEBBLE POWER has hit Glasgow! The whole city - and the west of Scotland - has joined with the Evening Times in support of the Beatson Pebble Appeal.

And the money is pouring in - around £120,000 in nine weeks.

The appeal aims to raise £10million for a state-of-the-art cancer research centre which will help to get rid of the disease for good.

Since we launched our support for the appeal on April 1, organisers have been overwhelmed by the warmth of feeling from politicians, celebrities, individuals and people from all walks of life.

Lindsey McArthur, said: "In just over eight weeks, we have quadrupled the number of hits on our website and we have been absolutely delighted by the many wonderful ways people have come up with to raise money for us.

"We've received significant donations from major trusts and organisations, which have helped boost the total too.

"We are extremely grateful."

She adds: "The point of the Beatson Pebble Appeal is that any donation, however small, counts - and will make a difference to people living with cancer."

From coffee evenings and sponsored leg waxes, to hillwalks and zipslides, people across the city and beyond are coming up with lots of ideas on how to raise money.

Here are just three of them:

A Bearsden grandmother who lost both her husband and brother to cancer, is the driving force behind plans to raise a whopping £10,000.

Kay McFarlane, chairwoman of the charity Cure Cancer Scotland, threw her energies into fundraising following the death of her brother, Frank Sutherland, and husband, Angus, within a year.

"Both Frank, who lived in Canada, and Angus, were 70 when they died - Frank in 2005, Angus in 2006," explains Kay, who is in her late 60s.

"But what I found hard, when I went to the Beatson with Angus for his treatment, was seeing all those young people, waiting for chemotherapy or radiotherapy - young mothers and fathers, with children and families all affected by this terrible disease. It's just not right.

"So anything that is being done to find a cure, to stop cancer for once and for all, is something I want to support, for the sake of my children and grandchildren."

Kay's family - daughters Arlene, 43, Angela 41, and Alisha, 40, and son Andrew, 37, and her seven grandchildren - are all supporting her in her efforts.

"Alisha has already held a casino night for us, raising about £1600, and Arlene helps out with paperwork," smiles Kay. "All the volunteers at the charity work extremely hard, and none of us are paid, so every penny makes a difference."

Kay and a team of volunteers work tirelessly all year to raise money for cancer charities and for the next year they are dedicating all their efforts to the Beatson Pebble Appeal.

They held a Charity Golf Match at Clober Golf Club in Milngavie on May 16, with disco, raffle and auction, which raised £2250.50 and a St Andrew's Night dance is planned for November.

For more information, call Cure Cancer Scotland on 0141 955 4047.

Marian and Pat Gordon came up with a novel way of raising money for the Beatson Pebble Appeal - real pebbles.

The couple tied the knot at Glenskirlie Castle in Banknock on April 26, and instead of spending £50 on favours to give to guests, they donated the cash to the appeal and made their own.

"We collected pebbles from beaches and Loch Lomond and painted our names and the date of our wedding on them, with the inscription, in English and Gaelic 'As long as sea beats on stone'," explains Marian.

"We varnished them. And we put them in gift boxes with a little note containing details of the appeal and how to donate. Hopefully it will encourage people to support the appeal - and inspire other brides and grooms to do something similar to raise money for the Beatson."

Marian, 35, adds: "Like most families, cancer has touched our lives - Pat's mum died from cancer 12 years ago, and his dad has just been given the all-clear after a fight with lung cancer. My aunt died of breast cancer."

Medical secretary Marian and Pat, 40, a police officer, live in Cumbernauld with daughters, Lucy, 17, and Zoe, 14, and son Finlay, 6.

"I hope our favours have given our guests something special to keep, as well as helping to support an extremely worthwhile cause."

Claremont Bowling Club in Milngavie was the venue for a coffee evening with a difference recently.

Home carers at East Dunbartonshire Council, led by Joan Crawford, raised £3000 from Pinal's Coffee and Curry Evening.

"One of our team, Pinal Patel, has recently gone through treatment for breast cancer, and it made us think - what can we do to help?" explains Joan. "The Pebble Appeal was the ideal answer. We had raffles, a leg-waxing and a great mix of food and drink, including curries, samosas, coffee and cake! It was fantastic."

Pinal, who is 39 and lives in Milngavie with her husband Puish, daughter Kajal, 10, and son Karan, 7, was diagnosed with breast cancer last June.

She had a lumpectomy to remove the tumour, then further surgery once doctors realised the cancer had spread to the lymph glands.

She endured months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but is now recovering well.

"It was a terrible shock," she says. "But I am a positive person, and I have two wee ones - so I had to be strong and get through it." Joan Crawford and fellow home carers raised cash Pinal Patel also raised cash Kay McFarlane is a driving force Join the slide show: There's still time to sign up

THERE'S still time to sign up for the Pebble Appeal's Zip Slide Across the Clyde, which takes place on June 20, between 10am and 4pm, next to the Finnieston Crane. Contact Susanne Hill on s.hill@admin.gla.ac.uk or 0141 330 2132 for details.

The Beatson Pebble Appeal aims to raise £10m to build the Beatson Translational Research Centre, covering all cancers.

You can donate online at www.beatsonpebbleappeal.org - just click on 'donate' and follow the steps - or send a cheque payable to Beatson Pebble Appeal, to Beatson Pebble Appeal, No 2 The Square, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ.

And tell us what you are doing and why - call 0141 302 6555 or e-mail ann.fotheringham@eveningtimes.co.uk