KILMAURS and District Young Farmers Club, in Ayrshire, recently held a charity cabaret night in aid of Alzheimer Scotland, which saw more than 220 people attend the event, held at Troon Concert Hall.

A variety of acts performed on the evening, including three guest performers from Loudoun Musical Society, David and Stephen MacIlwraith and Lynsey Campbell, while there were also performances from past and present club members, including Archie Mair, of Clonherb Farm, Fenwick, Compering on the evening, and helping to organise the event, was Willie Smith, of Crooks Farm, Dundonald, and Jim Howie, of Hillhouse Farm, Kilmarnock.

After a meal, provided by Isabel Howat, also known as Kirky’s Kitchen, or, The Bakery Box, Ochiltree, a live auction took place, conducted by Adam Brown, of Campbell Fuel Oils, with a number of prizes having been donated from the local community.

The top-priced item on the evening was a choice of one heifer, out of a selection of five, from the Howies at Hillhouse, and this sold to Ian Smith, Kilmaurs Mains, for £1750.

A British-Blue heifer calf was also donated, and that was by the Cuthbertson family, of Drummuir Farm, Irvine, and it sold to Jim Shanks, Newtonhead Farm, Kilmaurs, for £1050.

Overall, the auction itself brought in a total of £5600, and at present, the event raised around £9500 in total. The final figure will be presented in a cheque to Alzheimer Scotland at the club’s agm.

Chairman, Claire Cuthbertson, applauded the club on the evening’s success, and said: “I am absolutely delighted with the success of the charity night, and am very proud of how hard everybody worked on the evening.

“A big thanks must go to Willie Smith and Jim Howie for helping us to organise the event, and for running it, as well as the committee and club members who made sure everything came together and ran smoothly.

“The club chose Alzheimer Scotland as its charity this year, due to the number of people and families who are affected by the disease, particularly in recent times, and the club is delighted to have raised such a fantastic amount of money.

"We hope the money will be a big help to people with Alzheimer's, and their families, too.

“The event was a great success, and I am looking forward to handing the cheque over to Alzheimer Scotland at our agm, in March."