Barack Obama dinner to benefit local charity

Sunday 25 June 2017

Jersey Cheshire home are set to benefit from a fundraising dinner attended by former US President Barack Obama thanks to the efforts of Suzi Wallace, a Glasgow woman with a Jersey connection.

The ex-President gave one of his first speeches since leaving the White House at the £2,000 a head dinner at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre at the end of May. It was staged by a charity foundation established by Scottish billionaire Sir Tom Hunter at which a total of £670,000 was raised that will benefit a variety of charities, including the Jersey home.

The bulk of the money, over £550,000, has been allocated to assist the fundraising efforts of individuals who took part in Kiltwalk 2017 and Suzi Wallace, who was one of the participants in the Glasgow Kiltwalk, will have her fundraising efforts for the Jersey Cheshire Home topped up by as much as a third as a result.

In addition, a further ten per cent has been pledged by the Hunter foundation.

Ms Wallace chose Jersey Cheshire Home as her charity as her cousin Callum Shaw used to work at the home. Sadly, he died last year aged only 32.

Ms Wallace, who Mr Shaw called her Prosecco Princess, intends to come to Jersey next year to visit the home and meet some of his former colleagues and the residents of whom he spoke so fondly of.

She said: “I miss Callum deeply and I know he would be very pleased that I completed the Kiltwalk to raise money for Jersey Cheshire Home. It was also a wonderful experience.”