In a raffle recently organised by the Caledonian Sleeper, £6,090 was raised through generous donations for the Scottish loneliness charity Give a Dog a Bone, which will help to support the charity’s ongoing work.

The money raised from the  donations allowed Give a Dog a Bone to hold two further raffle competitions to add to the impressive total raised. A rare limited-edition bottle of single cask single malt whisky that was created in collaboration with Annandale Distillery to commemorate Caledonian Sleeper’s 150th anniversary was the prize in one raffle, whilst the prize in the second was a pair of return tickets on board the iconic Caledonian Sleeper train.

One raffle featured a bottle of limited-edition single cask single malt whisky, a creation in collaboration with Annandale Distillery to commemorate Caledonian Sleeper’s 150th anniversary. The second raffle offered a pair of return tickets on board the iconic Caledonian Sleeper train.

All funds raised from the raffles will go towards  Give a Dog a Bone’s community space project where older adults can socialise in a safe space, learn new skills, and overcome loneliness through animal companionship. Community spaces have been established by th charity in Shawlands, Troon, and Alloa. They all provide a space where adults over 60 can visit everyday to relax and enjoy the company of dogs, staff and volunteers. Many of the those who engage with the charity live by themselves, and the community spaces provide them with the much-needed social interaction and companionship that go towards tackling the adverse effects of loneliness.

Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director for Caledonian Sleeper, commented: “Caledonian Sleeper is proud to have supported Give a Dog a Bone for the past four years. It’s heartening to see the positive impact our contributions have on the charity’s vital work in alleviating loneliness.”

Louise Russell, Founder and Chief Executive at Give a Dog a Bone, said: “We are incredibly grateful to have the continued support of Caledonian Sleeper. Donations such as this allow us to continue welcoming people into our community spaces each day, as well as caring for our companion dogs who provide happiness to the lives of so many people.”