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A LOSSIEMOUTH BASED RAF Regiment Corporal has handed over a cheque for £1148 to the Make a Wish Foundation – a charity that grants wishes for children facing life-threatening health conditions.
Corporal Thomas Johnson is a member of 51 Squadron at the Moray base. Known as ‘Johno’, he raised the cash from a sale to friends and family of various wooden items he designed and built.
Johno decided to build the range of wooden goods, which includes wine racks, clocks, and mirrors, as a creative way of maintaining his own wellbeing and good mental health. The creations were so well received by his family and friends they suggested he could sell them.
Originally, Johno was using wood from used pallets to build the items. As his skill developed he decided to try working with other forms and types of wood and contacted local distillers to source whisky barrels. Glen Moray Distillery was happy to support Johno’s efforts and supply him with barrels and staves.
Johno, said: “I really just started tinkering with building things as a way of supporting recovery from some health issues I’d been having. But the pieces have become really popular, so I decided that I could raise money for a charity by selling them; I’m really glad to be able to raise money for some good causes.
“It’s very good of Glen Moray to help me source the materials I need. I do have a bit of a waiting list at the moment as the items take some time to hand build and finish, but I plan to get more stock ready in the spring.”
The items Johno makes can be seen on his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/CreateAt TinkerTime/ – and he can be contacted through that site with queries and orders. Money raised from sales in 2018 will be donated to Cancer Research UK.