MCDONALD’S franchisee, Elliot Jardine, and crew from his three restaurants on Stirling High Street, Stirling Drip Road and in Alloa have raised £1,116.30 for the Phenylketonuria (PKU) ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

McDonald’s Customer Care Host Catherine Welsh who works in the Stirling High Street restaurant has a granddaughter who suffers from the disorder. Catherine helped organise the fundraiser to raise awareness of the condition and funds for the ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, who are a great support to her granddaughter Leah and family.

Volunteers from the restaurant sold wrist bands, trolley tokens and pencils as well as holding raffles in the restaurants to help raise money over the past few weeks. Catherine, Leah and their family also attended a fun day hosted by the McDonald’s restaurant on Stirling High Street on Saturday 5th May where they held a tombola to support the cause.

Elliot Jardine, local franchisee and owner of eight restaurants across the Stirling and Alloa area, said: “I was really proud of the team for raising money for such an important cause. The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and its PKU ward offers an invaluable service to children and their families across Scotland and it’s great to be able to support it in this way. I would like to thank everyone who made generous donations and supported the cause.”

Kirsten Sinclair, Director of Fundraising at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity said: “We’d like to thank all of the generous staff and customers at McDonald’s restaurants across Stirling for their wonderful fundraising efforts. This very generous donation in support of our Metabolic Service Fund will go a long way in supporting our young patients affected by metabolic conditions, making a real and lasting difference to children and their families.”

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare but potentially serious inherited metabolism disorder. About 1 in 10,000 babies in the UK is born with the condition. Without treatment, PKU can damage the brain and nervous system, which can lead to learning disabilities. With early diagnosis and the correct treatment, the majority of children with PKU are able to live healthy lives.