Bearsden businessman makes huge donation to Marie Curie hospice

The Marie Curie facility at Stobhill has been given the cash by Bearsden man John Watson OBE.

The donation is the largest single donation since the hospice’s highly successful ‘Big Build’ appeal in 2010 and equates to 3,125 hours of nursing care.

Once the Government’s tax free giving scheme Gift Aid is taken into account the total rises to £62,500.

Mr Watson, from Canniesburn, has been a major hospice benefactor over the past 12 years.

He was one of the ‘Big Build’ fundraising team under the chairmanship of the late Donald Storrie, which raised a staggering £16.1million to plan and build the new facility and he still serves on the fundraising board.

Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins flew to Glasgow from London to receive the donation personally.

Dr Collins said: “John’s generous donation of £50,000 will pay for the running of the hospice for a week.

“Over the past 12 years John’s dedication has benefitted hundreds of patients and we’re extremely grateful to him for his ongoing commitment to Marie Curie.”

Mr Watson said: “It took a huge amount of effort and commitment for a dedicated team, backed by the incredible support of the community, to raise such a sum to build the hospice. I’m delighted to have made this donation which will go along way to helping care for people at the hospice.”

During his time at the helm of John Watson and Co, the firm printed promotional literature free of charge for the Marie Curie charity.

The facility replaced the former Huntershill hospice and it cares for 1,400 terminally ill patients and their families every year and needs £5.3million per year - or £14,500 a day - to operate.