Generous shoppers and staff at the Newton Mearns branch of Marks & Spencer donated an impressive £1633 to help support families living with the degenerative brain condition Huntington’s disease (HD).

The money was raised through a series of fundraising collections and in store staff events across the last 12 months.

“Although M&S supports a range of charities nationally each store has the opportunity to adopt a local charity of the year to support.

“One of our staff members has a family connection to HD and once we heard what this little known condition was and the impact it had on people’s lives, we were 100% in favour of supporting the Scottish Huntington’s Association (SHA),” said Iain Hanlan the store’s food section manager and charity coordinator.

SHA is the only charity in the country that works with families affected by the disease providing lifeline services, including specialist nurses, the world’s only HD youth support service and financial wellbeing team.

HD is a hereditary progressive condition that causes changes to muscle control, thinking processes and long term mental health issues. The average age of onset is between 33 and 45 and those living with the condition will require 24 hour care as it progresses into its later stages. Each child of someone diagnosed with HD is at 50% risk of developing the condition themselves. There is no cure.

The charity works with around 1100 families across Scotland.

Community fundraising officer, Linda Winters said:

“This is a fantastic sum that will really help us transform the lives of HD families in the East Renfrewshire area.”

More information of the SHA at www.hdscotland.org