The family of an Arran woman who spent her life championing the disadvantaged and vulnerable have set up a fund in her memory.

Nan McMurdo passed away peacefully on July 12, this year, after living a very full and happy life, despite the many challenges she had to face with serious illness and disability.

Originally from New Cumnock, Nan and her husband Ian moved to ‘her favourite place on Earth’ a few years ago.

She was much loved on the island of Arran and in her local communities in the Cumnock area, where she worked tirelessly to support many local organisations and people over the years, and she will be sadly missed.

When Nan died, the family received many requests from friends and colleagues asking if she had a favourite charity to which they could contribute, and they put a lot of thought into how people might honour her memory in a way that she herself would have wished.

When Nan was awarded her MBE in 2015, it was to recognise her ‘services to disadvantaged and vulnerable people’, and the family would like to continue that support in her name. On Saturday, November 7, which would have been Nan’s 70th birthday, they launched the Nan McMurdo Memorial Fund, an ongoing fundraiser which will be dedicated to supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable people in her local communities.

Within two days of its launch, Nan’s fund had attracted an astonishing total of over £3,000, and the contributions continue to pour in. As an ongoing fund, contributors can make a one-off donation at any time, or set up a regular payment, or donate on occasions such as birthdays or dates that were special to you or to Nan.

The family have already contributed to the fund and will continue to do so, with plans for fundraising events in the months and years ahead.

You can also leave a note of any favourite memories you have of Nan. Visit the page here to donate.

The family will be working in partnership with Cumnock based social enterprise Yipworld to ensure that every penny raised will be used to support disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the local communities of Cumnock and the surrounding area and the island of Arran. Please see www.yipworld.org for more.