UPDATE: The Cat Rapping Performance will be held on 12th November 2025 at The Bowler's Rest Pub, 24 Mitchell St, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 7BD at an Open Mic Night, on between 8-10/10.30pm. We have asked for a slot towards the end for 7-10 minutes

FUNDRAISER FOR CHEST, HEART AND STROKE SCOTLAND & REFUGEE NURSE'S EDUCATION FUND.

I am a disabled woman and intermittent musician in Edinburgh Scotland. I have very limited cognitive energy, memory challenges, neurodivergence, mobility impairments and other impairments, so for the two causes below, have proposed the following:

After a stroke three years ago, I got a wonderful cat to keep me company called Donnie named after my wonderful grandfather who lived in Leith as a young man. To cheer myself and my housebound mother up when in hospital, I composed a song about my cat and a series of fun and zany raps, starting a precedent in my life for 'cat rapping'. I will perform live on Wednesday 12th November 2025 at the Bowler's Rest Pub, Leith (see above), at their open mic night between 8-10.30pm, a 10-minute slot of the complete anthology of Donnie Cat Raps, white feline hip-hop as you've never it before, plus my romantic ode to him with piano accompaniment. Trust me, I will make a complete idiot of myself in support of two very good causes.

The causes I want to donate to:

Three years and four months ago, I suffered a life-changing stroke and with little family support as an only child of one disabled parent (emotional support in bucketloads). I relied entirely on my friends, benefit-funded carers and charities to help me in practical terms with my recovery journey. Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland funded a social worker, support workers who installed electronic reminder devices, a stroke-focused nurse, fatigue management courses and other essential forms of support. As a charity, they rely on donor and grant funding and I'd like to help them out with 50% of the profits of this fundraiser.

www.chss.org.uk

As a child who spent time at a multi-ethnic school in a poor area of South East London with friends from refugee backgrounds, and later obtained a PhD on ethnicity, migration, identity, diaspora and anti-racism from the University of Oxford, UK, I have been a volunteer advocate for refugees during my adult life. I started by performing with Bosnian refugee musicians in 2001, and started as a professional volunteer advocate and press advisor at UK Refugee Council and Article 19 in 2009. I also latterly worked with UN Migration (IoM) as author of an official report on air pollution and migrants/refugees exposed to it. I've supported a political refugee in Edinburgh Scotland since 2022 from one of the world's current conflict affected countries who is attempting to retrain as a nurse at university and urgently needs funds to support their studies. They are an exceptional and brave person. I will donate 50% of donations towards their education fund.

Grateful thanks for every donation, even if it's just a few pence.

PS. Check out the sexy picture of me in intensive care grinning as doctors were trying to save my life.