The Wee Ginger Care Fund

Saturday, 21 June 2014 21:51

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  The Wee Ginger Dug blog has rapidly become a favourite amongst independence supporters for its biting humour and snappy wit.  Updated almost daily, the blog provides an entertaining lift when the dream of Scottish independence comes under sustained attack from the negativity of the No campaign.

Paul Kavanagh, the ghost writer for the independence campaign’s favourite Valencian mongrel, is also a long standing friend of Newsnet Scotland.

Paul was involved with this publication from the very beginning, and made an enormous contribution to getting Newsnet Scotland established as a site to be taken seriously. The Newsnet team know Paul, his partner Andy, and their dug Ginger well.

But what a lot of Wee Ginger Dug’s readers haven’t known as they’ve been chortling and giggling at the most recent devastating put down of a Unionist politician’s pretentions is that Paul has been coping with dreadful and worrying personal circumstances. 

The couple returned to live in Scotland last year, after 15 years in Spain, when Andy’s health began to deteriorate.  Shortly after re-establishing themselves in Scotland, Andy was diagnosed with vascular dementia.  His condition has deteriorated rapidly.

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia.  It typically progresses more rapidly than Alzheimers.  There is no cure or treatment, and those with the condition have an average survival time of just five years after diagnosis.  Andy now requires 24 hour care and support.

Paul says that he’d always avoided writing about care issues on the Wee Ginger Dug blog as it was his escape from caring, a space where he could think about something else other than the worry of his partner’s health and care needs, or the stress of knowing that the couple’s house in Spain was not selling.  However last week he wrote a blog piece in response to the Clare Lally issue, and for the first time his readers realised what he was dealing with behind the jokes and laughter.

Paul got his arm twisted into setting up a crowdfunding appeal to raise money to support his partner’s care needs.  He really did get his arm twisted, some of us in Newsnet Scotland were amongst those doing the twisting. 

In all the time Paul was involved with Newsnet Scotland, he never asked for anything in return, but now it’s time we showed him some appreciation. The fundraiser has now reached over £6,000.

Yesterday we got a call from Paul to tell us that at long last his house in Spain had found a buyer.  Unfortunately he’s had to accept an offer which leaves a considerable shortfall in the sum needed to buy the rented flat the couple and the Dug are currently living in.

The couple have decided to use the money raised by the fundraiser to make up the shortfall.  We think it’s a great way for them to spend the money.

Please make a donation to the Wee Ginger Dug and ensure that Paul, his partner, and their Ginger Dug have a roof over their heads, and enough spare cash to ensure that Andy’s care needs can be met, and that he can spend his remaining days in a Scotland where he knows he has the support and love of a nation.

Donations can be made online on Indiegogo.  Click here to make a donation. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wee-ginger-care-needs/x/7964150

Donations can also be made by cheque, postal order, or cash. Please make any cheques or postal orders payable to Andrew Kavanagh-Mosson, and send them to the following address:

Wee Ginger Care Fund, C/O Wings Over Scotland, Suite 55, 196 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 4AT

Please note that donations made by post will not figure in the Indiegogo totals.