Peggy Ramsey is all heart

Peggy, will we start by talking about the Chest Heart and Stroke NI, because I know you have a long association with the charity?

Yes, I have been working with them for a long time. It was formed in 1983, September 1983, in Great James' Street Health Centre.

So, you are one of the founder members?

I am a founder member, yes. Joan Simpson and myself were founder members of Northern Ireland Chest heart and Stroke, and Mona O'Kelly was our co-ordinator at that time. She was from Strabane and she was the co-ordinator.

Why did you feel you had to take a hand in setting it up?

It was announced in our church that they were looking for fundraisers, so I just felt I wanted to do something, and I have been doing that ever since.

Right...

You know? With all the different fundraising events...

Can you remember the first fundraiser you ever did?

It was a house to house collection. We went round the houses and I remember we used to walk for miles, which I couldn't do now (laughs).

Other than your church connections to the charity was there any other reason, like family reasons, that made you feel you wanted to get involved?

Well, you see my father died in 1970 from a stroke but then my mother lived until she was 90 and I was involved in Chest Heart and Stroke at this time, and she had heart failure...

What did you get out of it on a personal level? You must have enjoyed it?

I did and I got several awards.

Oh! You have to tell me about these. What was the first one?

The first one...it was a picture actually, and I just got it for fundraising - for raising a certain amount.

You must have raised hundreds of thousands over the years...

Oh we did, because the one...eh...incident that I remember very vividly is going to Belfast Castle to receive an award which was a paperweight from Linda Bryans, from UTV. So I will always remember that as a special day...and my daughter went with me.

Did you have to get a special outfit for that, did you?

Oh I did! I had to get a special outfit (chuckles).

You're like me - you have to get out to the shops...any excuse to get out to the shops!

Aye that's right...I had to get a new outfit for that! I think I had two pictures for raising money - but the rest of the group got something as well, you know?

Good. Well, what positions have you held within the organisation over the years?

Well, away at the beginning I would have been chairperson for a while and then I went on to be secretary, but never treasurer because I am no good with money! So, I don't know if you heard or not about Sheila Gillespie? She used to work for Chest Heart and Stroke. She died there in February, she was our chairperson and her brother was our treasurer.

She was a great fundraiser, was she?

Aye she was, great. I miss her terribly.

Obviously the CHSNI isn't just about fundraising, have there been any big days away and stuff like that, because I know there is an emphasis on socialising too, isn't there?

Aye, we have been to different hotels for our 'Thank You Day' for all our work. We are actually going to ...ehm, I have it here...(fetches a document)...

Oh, right, you are going to the Dunsilly Arms Hotel in Antrim. It's the annual Volunteer Recognition Event, to give it its proper title. So they do one of these every year do they?

They do one of these every year. We had one last year when we got one of those long umbrellas with the CHSNI logo.

So you all get a wee gift as well?

We do.

What do you get out of it personally?

Well, I just feel it gives me something to do and it makes me happy to do it. I enjoy it. I enjoy it very much.

I suppose it adds to your social circle too?

Yes.

When you were the chair and secretary, did you have any particular incident that you fundraised for that particularly touched your heart?

Ahh...

Without identifying anyone in particular..

No, they were all very worthy causes.

What sort of things do you do to get the money you raise?

Well, we have flag days. They started off house to house, and that lasted for years, but we are not allowed to do that any more. I remember we went to a ploughing match one time.

A ploughing match?

A ploughing match. Yes.

Right...you weren't in wellies by any chance?

No I hadn't wellies, but I had boots on.

And did you do it?

I did and we raised quite a bit of money - several hundred pounds in fact.

Did you get to use a tractor or anything?

No I was on my feet walking through a field with my box...I also ran a dance from 1989 until seven years ago...no five years ago, after my husband died, in 2004, then I didn't have any for a few years because I didn't feel like it, you know? But I have had a couple since that, but not recently. They were held at - it was known at the Inn at the Cross at that time.

It's the Belfray now...

Yes, The Belfray.

Were they big occasions, were they?

They were very big.

How many years did you run those?

Well, I would say I ran them for 10, 12, maybe more...

I suppose they became known as 'Peggy's Dances' did they?

Aye, Peggy's Dances is right, aye.

It was a late night was it?

Aye...a late night? It lasted into the morning! (laughs)

I know too in the past that you were a great one for the Children's Church. Which church was that associated with?

Ballyarnett Presbyterian.

What was the Children's Church?

The children went out after the children's address and they went to the Children's Church. You'd read them a story or get them doing wee drawings or something like that, and talk to them and say a wee prayer with them. It was very enjoyable. I loved it.

What age of children were you working with?

Three to five.

It's an enchanting age, isn't it?

Aye, and they go to Sunday School after that.

So this would have been the 'nursery school' of Sunday School, would it?

Yes. I was in charge of that and I used to go to the Christian Book Centre on Spencer Road to get all the literature there.

A wee bird told me you were also involved with the choir there.

I still am in the choir.

Are you?

I am. Aye, I sing in the choir...whatever way I sing!

Is it true that you are also associated with the PW?

It is. I have never been an officer in that, just a member. You meet every month and they have different functions each month, there is Bible Study in January every year, there might be a bring and buy sale or we might have a guest speaker...