Garage sale aids charity

Douglas Fleeton, who was brought up in Lisburn emigrated to Canada some years ago, came home to sell his mother’s house at Mercer Street last year. He flew over on a week long visit to sell the house once owned by his late mother Jean and then decided to get rid of its contents by holding a garage sale.

The garage sale in October was a huge success.

Among some of the amazing items that were sold included the likes of old school books dating back from 1937, Irish linen some antique furniture as well as a pair of buffalo horns that came all the way from Sierra Leone - his father had brought back from the Second World War.

Some items that did not sell at the garage sale including a sofa and some antique furniture were then sold off at Altona Auction and when all the money was gathered the grand total came to £673.

Instead of keeping the money from the sale of the contents Douglas thought it would be much better if he gave the money away to a charity. As he is involved with the boy scouts he wanted a children’s charity to benefit.

His cousin Patricia Campbell said that when all the money was gathered and she told him how much was made he too wanted to round the total off to £800 and so sent a cheque for £117.

“That is the type of Doug he is such a lovely man who likes to help,” his cousin said. “When he heard how much was gathered he said that he wanted to give money to make the total up to £800.

“We both thought long and hard of where the money should go and then I suggested the charity and so he decided to give the money to the Clown Doctors charity.”

Since the death of his mother a few years ago, Douglas used the house at Mercer Street as a base when he visited Lisburn but still plans to return again to Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Clown Doctors is a charity that helps bring smiles, laughter and fun to children and young people undergoing medical treatment in hospitals and other health care settings.

Colourful characters such as Doctor Sparky and Doctor Clooless visit children from bedside to bedside providing opportunities for play. The team of ten Clown Doctors visit over 4,000 children and over 4,000 family members every year.