MILLIONAIRE milkman Alan Wiseman has revealed how one of Scotland's best-known broadcasters inspired him to help raise money for a leading cancer charity, as the famous dairy family pledge to donate up to £100,000.
Mr Wiseman, the former chairman of Robert Wiseman Dairies (RWD), said he had been impressed by the work of the Maggie's cancer centres since being approached by television presenter, Kirsty Wark, three years ago.
Ms Wark has been an honourary patron of the charity since 2000 and chairs its Glasgow Fundraising Board.
Mr Wiseman, 65, said: "Kirsty Wark encouraged us to take a look at the whole thing and she is such a big name around Scotland that we couldn't refuse.
"I found Kirsty and her husband absolutely charming. When they asked us 'is there anything you can do to help?' then I was very sympathetic to that and when I saw the kind of work that Maggie's does in terms of counselling for poor people that are diagnosed with cancer, then we became quite enthusiastic."
The Wiseman family has now pledged to match any donations made to Maggie's Glasgow and Lanarkshire centres before the end of the year, up to a total £50,000 per centre, effectively doubling the value of every pound raised by the charity's fundraisers.
Mr Wiseman, who is the eldest of three brothers and a sister, said: "They say it's been a good incentive because it's encouraged people to take a second look. So people who were maybe thinking about contributing now they know that if they put in £100 that will become £200.
"I live in Hamilton but I've been very involved in business in Glasgow for all my working life so the Glasgow and Lanarkshire ones are my main focus and these are expensive places to run.
"My focus is very much on helping to keep them open.
"We [the Wiseman family] have done well so it's nice to be able to put something back."
The Wiseman dairy company was founded at the family farm in East Kilbride in 1947 by Robert Wiseman senior and is now one of the biggest dairy firms in the UK.
In 1994 it was floated on the London stock exchange and saw its market share soar from two per cent to more than 30 per cent over the following 20 years.
In 2012, RWD was acquired by Müller UK & Ireland Group for almost £280 million, with brother Alan, Robert and Gavin Wiseman sharing a windfall of around £93m for their combined shareholdings.
"It's not just the physical and mental problems you're faced with [when you have cancer]," said Mr Wiseman. "You then begin to think 'how am I going to pay the rent?' or 'how how am I going to pay my mortgage?', and I think it's tremendous that Maggie's help with these things."
Maggie’s provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends. The first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996 and there are now 17 across the UK.
Ms Wark said: “The Wiseman Family are wonderful supporters of Maggie’s and I have been bowled over by this incredibly generous pledge. Maggie’s aims to be there to offer practical, emotional and social support to anyone and everyone affected by cancer, and we rely entirely on voluntary donations to do that. The Wiseman Family’s pledge makes this the perfect Christmas to give a gift, however big or small, to Maggie’s and to make double the difference to people with cancer and their family and friends.”
Donations can be made directly to the Maggie's Glasgow or Maggie's Lanakshire centres, or via the website at: https://www.maggiescentres.org/how-you-can-help/ways-give/
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