A Highland energy boss will champion a children’s charity after learning struggling parents of young patients in Raigmore Hospital are having to choose between food and fuel when they visit.
But Roy MacGregor, known as the Highland’s “Mr Energy”, is to promote the Archie Foundation in the area, fuelled by his belief that the pandemic should help people look after their neighbour.
The chairman of Global Energy Group, whose business provides services to the oil, gas and renewables sectors, has accepted an invitation to become a patron of the foundation, undertaking a role as a Highland ambassador for the children’s hospital charity.
‘Extremely busy supporting parents’
Mary Nimmo, Inverness chairwoman of Archie Highland, said: “We’re in advanced dialogue with NHS Highland about future projects around the state of the art children’s unit at Raigmore Hospital, which we successfully funded.
“But we’re currently extremely busy supporting parents of sick children who come to Raigmore from considerable distances to visit their child.
“Lack of cash means they have to choose between paying for food or fuel – and we’re stepping in because that’s a choice we’re anxious they shouldn’t make.
“We’re also helping families by providing specialist medical equipment which their child can take home with them, and which the parents might not otherwise have been able to afford.
“These are extremely challenging times for people whose children are ill, which is why we’re delighted that Roy MacGregor has accepted my invitation to become a patron.
“He’s such a well-known and respected Highland business figure and we hope he can open doors for us in our fundraising efforts.”
Pandemic made us all better human beings
Roy MacGregor, chairman of Ross County FC, sold his MacGregor Energy Services Group in 1997 then successfully launched Global Energy Group.
Mr MacGregor said: “I want to try to be a support mechanism for Archie Highland as I realise that fundraising will be a challenge going forward for a body which is doing something hugely worthwhile.
“My intention is to use my influence in the region to support Archie Highland.
“In some ways, Covid has made us all better human beings in reviving the old ‘help your neighbour’ spirit.
“In a pandemic environment, we all need to help those locally who need help.
“And I believe that supporting sick children and their families is central to that.
“I have admired Archie Highland’s achievement in funding a superb state of the art children’s unit at Raigmore and their latest Fresh Air Project which has topiary animals, including a 30ft-long Nessie, in an area allowing sick children to play outside or have something child-friendly to see from their window.
“Community backing is essential if this kind of invaluable voluntary role is to continue and I’m keen to see what I can do to assist.”
Mr MacGregor is a former World Finance entrepreneur of the year, a member of the Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame and has been named director of the year by the Institute of Directors Scotland.
Still work to do
Dawn Cowie, fundraising officer at Archie Highland, said: “We’re being kept very busy supplying emergency clothing, pyjamas and toys to young patients in the children’s unit. The need has stepped up during the pandemic.
“We’re also helping to fund research projects which healthcare professionals are keen to progress.”
Mr MacGregor wishes to be a patron focusing on the Highland area while Donald Mathieson, managing director of Inverness firm D&E Coaches, who recently became a Patron, will cover the Highlands, Grampian and Tayside regions.
Ms Nimmo added: “After being without a Highlander on our current list of patrons, it’s exciting to now have two, and we hope to complete the hat trick.”