AN ARDROSSAN family have raised over £700 for the Ayrshire Hospice in memory of a beloved relative by cycling around Millport. 

Pat Haggarty passed away at the hospice in December last year. To show their appreciation for the care the 69-year-old receivedfrom the staff, Pat’s two sisters, his nephew and four nieces, did a sponsored cycle of the island last month.

The family collected money through a Just Giving page, sponsor sheets and by taking buckets around the area, raising an impressive £752.50 overall. There was also a whip-round at Charlie’s Bar in Saltcoats, Pat’s regular pub.

Isabel Findlay, Pat’s sister, told the Herald: “It was amazing the number of people who donated. My niece Marion Bell organised the whole thing. 

“We cycled around the whole island in appreciation of the Ayrshire Hospice for all the great care and the support that they gave my brother for the short time he was there.

“The cycle was easier than I thought because Millport’s very flat and we do a lot of walking. The young ones whooshed ahead though – us older ones took a bit longer!”