By David Lamb CFP™ MCSI
In January I wrote about a lovely client who made some very generous donations to Glenmore Lodge and Cairngorm Mountain Rescue.
Louie’s gifts, in memory of her late husband Norman, funded a course teaching children mountain skills at the outdoor training centre near Aviemore and a hi tech thermal imaging drone to support search and rescue operations.
The beneficiaries were chosen because Speyside in Scotland was one of the couple’s favourite holiday destinations.
At the end of January, whilst driving home from work listening to the news, I learned that a monkey had escaped from the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig and Cairngorm Mountain Rescue were helping with the hunt for the marauding mammal using their new drone.
The search for the Japanese macaque, nicknamed Kingussie Kong after a local town, had made national news. When the monkey was eventually recaptured following four days on the run after being tracked by the drone, it looked rather hungry and feeling sorry for itself. But its life had probably been saved by the airborne tracker that Louie’s money bought.
When done properly, financial planning can have a major impact on clients’ lives and a knock-on effect in other areas. Who would have thought that asking a client how she wanted to use her money could result in a few days of fun following the national news?
I get a lot of job satisfaction helping clients plan and achieve their desired lifestyle. But having a small part in an event that made national news and knowing that the drone which Louie had generously funded with our help will one day save a human life is especially heartwarming.
