Moroccan night at St Mary’s, Lanark, 2014 Slideshow

And scores took up that invite as one very determined young lady saw the Moroccan Party Night she held there for her favourite cause become a major success.

As previously reported, 17-year-old Saoirse Anis, of Lanark, decided to put her North African ‘roots’ to good use when it came to raising the near-£2000 she needs to go on a mercy mission to Tanzania this summer to help with projects including building a new school for orphans and street children.

She quickly roped her Moroccan-born dad, Amira Catering boss Fouad, into making the food for a Moroccan Night party at the St Mary’s Clubrooms on Saturday, guests being asked to turn up in suitable Arabic dress and the event even featured some very traditonal entertainment courtesy of the fabulous Tinto Belly Dancers troupe.

The result was a superb £1200 being raised towards the cost of Saorise’s trip.

She told the Gazette afterwards: “It was a sell-out with over 60 people – including the belly dancers – attending.

“We had a fantastic time and I really want to thank all the independent Lanark businesses I approached for raffle prizes and donations.

“Everyone was so, so generous and I can’t thank them enough.”

The delighted young fundraiser – who still has about £300 to go to reach her target – added: “My parents and friends have been go great supporting me and so have the local businesses.”

The pictures featured in our slideshow were taken by freelance photographer Andrew Wilson.