An ELGIN charity has received a donation of £ 650 from the Asda Foundation to help with its post-pandemic recovery.

Elgin and the U3A District used some of the money to host a kick-off party at Elgin Town Hall, where all members were invited to meet friends and have lunch. The remainder will go towards purchasing resources for groups and advertising.

The U3A movement encourages seniors, who no longer have a full-time job, to stay active by discovering the pleasures of mental and physical activity in a friendly and informal setting.

There are approximately 175 members of the Elgin and District U3A group from across Moray, with over 100 people showing up at the relaunch event.

Elgin and District U3A has approximately 25 interest groups, including dance, language, music and walking groups, all run by the members themselves.

Rob Goodall, the group’s treasurer, said: “The money was received with great gratitude and will help us in our recovery efforts.

“It will be used to buy resources for groups, for advertising and part of it has been used for the relaunch event.

“The event had a much better turnout than I expected – with around 100 people.

“Out of 175 members, it’s not bad as our population is mostly retired, so we are in a vulnerable group. Also, we had six new members registered that day and five took forms.”

The group also organized a fundraiser for Moray Food Plus and raised £ 140.

Asda Community Champion Kaye Macleod said, “We see the Asda Foundation as one of the many ways we give back to the communities we serve.

“That’s why we lend a hand to a wide range of good causes that help make a difference through a variety of local projects.

“Supporting the local groups that are on our doorstep like Elgin and the U3A District is really important to us – and we hope it will make a real difference within the local community of Moray. “

The mission of the Asda Foundation is to transform communities and improve lives across the UK. To learn more about the Asda Foundation, including eligibility to apply for funding, contact the community colleague at your local Asda store or visit: www.asdafoundation.org.

For more information on Elgin and the U3A District, visit u3asites.org.uk/elgin/page/99838.

Do you want to respond to this article? If yes, click here submit your thoughts and they can be published in print.