HOLLYWOOD actor Gerard Butler has donated an undisclosed sum of money to a glitzy Inverness charity event.
The heartthrob, who hails from Scotland and has starred alongside Jennifer Aniston in The Bounty Hunter, has given his backing to Strictly Inverness 2011 which is being held next month to raise money for the Highland Hospice and the Inverness Ice centre.
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The P.S I Love You star made a generous donation to the centre on Bishops Road and has also given a signed poster and picture of himself which will be raffled off. The sum has not been disclosed.
The reason why the hunk has offered his help? His cousin, Raigmore Hospital nurse Louise McAllan is one of the contestants in the competition which is being supported by the Highland News.
Louise, who lives in Castle Heather with her 10-year-old son Jack, said she was delighted her cousin was helping her out.
“I was pleased he agreed to help. I actually contacted his mum, my auntie to see if she could get in touch with him, and he came back saying he was more than happy to donate some money. He has made a financial donation but has also given a signed poster and picture of himself which will be raffled off on one of the days we perform.”
Louise (34) explained that Gerard, who is her mum’s brother’s step-son, used to take her out when she visited them at their then home in Paisley.
“I used to go down there during the holidays and he used to have to take me out. He would take me to some transport museum. He was always very nice and he would talk to me for ages. He is a bit older than me. He has also been at a number of family parties too and was at one in Inverness for our grandparents’ wedding anniversary. That was a long time ago though.”
However, Louise saw her cousin last year, when he invited her and her mum Anne to the Glasgow premiere of Law Abiding Citizen which he starred in alongside Jamie Foxx.
“It was great to be asked,” said Louise, who decided to take part in Strictly as she works in Raigmore’s renal ward which is closely linked to the hospice.
“We had a great time and managed to see Gerard but he was getting so mobbed, it was unbelievable. People were climbing over barriers to get to him.”
Asked how her Strictly experience was going, Louise added: “It’s going okay, we are really lucky as all the other dancers are great fun, we are all getting on really well. We have had a group night out and we are planning another one a couple of weeks before the contest to try and calm our nerves.”
She added: “I am friends with Nicola McAlley and she was a judge last year and I went along to watch. The ward I work on is closely linked to the hospice and that’s really why I wanted to take part.”