Festive Food Train Fundraiser!
On Friday 9th December, we joined forces with Food Train Friends for a special outing of the Dumfries Ghost Walk - a fearsome fundraiser through the town’s spooky streets! This came about following an invitation for the team to give a talk to Food Train Friends where we revealed some of Dumfries and Galloway’s most fascinating haunts and a few of our own hair-raising experiences! We had a super time and and particularly enjoyed the interactive element, where guests came forward with their own eerie encounters!
Inspired by the dedication of the Food Train volunteers and the positivity they bring to some of our community’s most vulnerable people, we contacted Jane Anderson, Nithsdale Befriending Development Officer, to suggest a spooky charity walk. Jane set to work straight away, spreading the word among her organisation and working closely with the team to organise the evening. When the big night arrived, we met in the cheery surroundings of St. George’s Church Hall, where warming mince pies and refreshments were served. The volunteers did a great job making sure everyone was looked after.
This gave us a chance to welcome everyone and we were thrilled to see a number of familiar faces along with new recruits ready to experience Dumfries’ dark side for the very first time! Jane gave a short and informative talk on the superb work of Food Train Friends highlighting the impact this has on the community, combatting loneliness and bringing people together, promoting inclusion and improving the quality of life for many older residents in the region.
From there, we took to the town’s shadowy streets and meandered along to the The Midsteeple where guests enjoyed Mary’s lively presentation on crime and punishment through the ages. During the tour, people chatted enthusiastically, asking questions about the town and joining in keenly whenever an opportunity for interaction came along. Let’s just say, when a famous mob riot was re-enacted in Dumfries’ High Street, the crowd’s venomous chants were enough to have anyone quaking in their boots - you truly did us proud!
One highlight involved a wonderful gentleman named Donald. While recounting stories of haunted Irish Street, Donald piped up that years ago, he’d witnessed a ghostly lady in a nearby workplace. To have an eye-witness on a tour is a rare and treasured event, so Kathleen invited Donald to take to the ‘stage’ and regale us with his strange experiences. Donald was fab - if we ever need an extra tour guide, he’s definitely on the list!
A massive thank you to everyone who turned out to support Food Train Friends! You helped us raise a fantastic total of £240!!
To find out how you can support Food Train, please call 01387 279111. You can reach the Mostly Ghostly Team through our website or by phoning 07791 047835 or 07912 145865. You can also FOLLOW us on Twitter and LIKE us on Facebook.