By Aftab Ali

A JOHNSTONE teen has been praised for single-handedly putting together a charity event to raise money for a nearby hospice.

Beth Milligan, aged 16, organised a fun run day to help the patients of St Vincent’s Hospice in Howwood, a charity she holds close to her heart.

The S6 pupil at Johnstone High School banded together her peers, locals and teachers to raise £150 after she found nobody else was willing to help her out.

The youngster, who is the head of the school’s charity committee, said the event went “really well” and exceeded her expectations with pupils from across the school taking part.

The run, which took place at the school on October 7, was open to people of all ages who paid just £1 to take part, with teachers and parents taking to the sidelines to cheer the racers on.

Beth said: “My mum has raised a lot of money for the hospice and my aunt recently started working there. I know people who have passed away there too and really wanted to help out because of that.

“They do great work and really need a lot of money. The hospice costs £3 a minute to run.

“People can still donate if they want to. All they have to do is walk into the hospice. They can even visit the tearoom. The food is great and money raised there will help too. The staff are volunteers.”

Graham Munro, deputy head for S5 and S6, praised Beth for her “terrific and great” efforts. He said: “It’s a fantastic credit for an S6 pupil to do this solo. It’s a good legacy.

“The school has already raised thousands of pounds over the years for Macmillan Cancer Support and Brake, the road safety charity.

“Our next project will be for Children in Need which will be a week-long event of fundraising efforts. Beth will be involved in that as well.”