Dunkeld native Ken Bray is never happier than when he is among his fellow volunteers and the team of dedicated staff at Maggie’s Dundee.
When he’s not halfway up a Munro or looking for hazel branches to turn into beautiful walking sticks, Ken is on the road in his wee van helping to support Maggie’s Dundee.
The 74-year-old was born and bred in Perthshire and still lives close to his brother in Dunkeld.
Ken worked for Royal Mail for almost 40 years before taking early retirement just over 14 years ago.
“I started as a postie and then became a driver, then a sorter.
“Then of course it got mechanised and quite a few of us there were a certain age and so we took the pension and ran!” he chuckles.
Answering the call to volunteer for the Maggie’s Penguin Parade
Not the sort to sit at home with his feet up, Ken heard the Maggie’s Centre in Dundee was looking for volunteers and answered the call.
Maggie’s Dundee is part of a network of centres across the UK offering expert care and support for people living with cancer and their families.
When he first got involved it was to help out with the Maggie’s Penguin Parade, the fundraising event that caught the imagination of people all over Tayside and Fife.
“When that was finished, I stayed on to help with all sorts of jobs,” says Ken.
“There is Run the Runway at Dundee Airport and firewalking events which have been very successful fundraisers for the centre.”
Ken was more than happy to take on a marshalling role and let other people take on the fire-walking challenge, though.
“I was thinking to myself that I would be the one who would end up with a blister,” he laughs, clearly full of admiration for all the people who completed the walk over hot embers.
“Then we realised that there wasn’t a very efficient system in place for collecting and returning Maggie’s charity collection cans.”
Ken took that on and has become well known all over Dundee and beyond as ‘the Maggie’s Man’ as he does his rounds collecting much-needed donations.
More recently, Ken and his van helped to transport models and other props for the Scotties By The Sea Trail.
A poignant connection to the support that Maggie’s Dundee offers
Ken says that he loves being part of the team at Maggie’s.
He said: “The staff and the volunteers all get on well and over the years we’ve just become friends, you know?”
“When I go around picking things up I think it’s good that people see a familiar face.”
Like many people, Ken’s life has been touched by cancer.
He recently lost his big sister.
“My sister Flora Douglas was 10 years older than me,” he explains.
“She struggled with cancer for some time but, particularly in the last 18 months, it got the better of her.”
Losing his sister was a reminder to Ken that everyone will encounter cancer at some point in their lives.
“A lot of people don’t realise that Maggie’s is not just for the person with cancer.” he said.
“It is for their families as well.
“Maggie’s has got a team of cancer support specialists, psychologists and even benefits advisers.
“If I’m at an event sometimes just telling people about the support that is available can really ease the burden.”
Volunteering with Maggie’s Dundee
Ken would encourage anyone to support the work that Maggie’s Dundee does.
“They always need people to be ‘meet and greet’ volunteers,” he says.
“If you can spare a hour or two a week you could really make a difference to someone living with cancer.
“Dropping in and out of the centre as much as I do and you see people who come in regularly. You can really the benefit that they’re getting from Maggie’s.”
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