Ramen with purpose: Maki & Ramen raises £20,000 for Thistle
A simple bowl of ramen has helped transform lives in Edinburgh, as Maki & Ramen celebrates raising £20,000 for Thistle.
Last week, more than 80 people came together to celebrate the charity partnership. They enjoyed an evening of conversation, fundraising and storytelling, bringing people together over the vitally important work that Thistle does supporting people to cope with the diagnosis of a long-term condition.
In Scotland, 1 in 3 people live with one or more long-term health conditions that has a significant impact on their lives, a figure that is expected to grow considerably over the course of the next 20 years.
Roxana, who was supported by Thistle Foundation and attended the celebration event said, "It was such a joy to attend. I found Thistle at a time when I was really struggling in my life. I’d just given birth to my daughter, and I had postpartum depression. I was living far away from my family and that coupled with being homesick left me feeling extremely isolated. At Thistle, I felt like I was finally being heard. They listened to me, my story and what I was going through; they helped me find myself again. That’s why it’s so wonderful to see a local businesses like Maki & Ramen championing a charity that makes such a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Rebecca Cuthbertson, Marketing Lead at Maki & Ramen, adds, “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, donated prizes, purchased raffle tickets and supported our Double Donation Month. Our partnership with Thistle Foundation is built on shared values of inclusion, empowerment and community. Seeing local businesses and customers come together to raise £1,822 is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together.”
William Oviatt, Head of Income Generation at Thistle Foundation adds, “1 in 5 people in Edinburgh are living with a long-term health condition. It can be a scary, lonely place and for many people it has a huge impact on their lives. Our health and social care system is significantly stretched and that’s why partnerships like this are so important. In fact, they’re vital. We need to be reaching as many people as we possibly can and that’s why, over the course of the next year, we are focused on raising an additional £100,000 through partnering with like-minded businesses, who believe, like us, that a health crisis doesn’t need to mean a life crisis for people in Scotland.”
If you think you could be Thistle’s new charity partner and help support people in Edinburgh living with a devastating diagnosis, please contact Hannah Fergague – fundraising@thistle.org.uk.
