Woman to be sentenced for stealing £85,000 from cancer charity in memory of best friend's daughter

A woman will be sentenced on Tuesday for stealing more than £85,000 from a cancer charity set up in memory of her best friend’s daughter.

Lindsay MacCallum set up a bank account to receive donations for charity Rainbow Valley, which helps people suffering with cancer and their families.

The foundation was jointly set up by MacCallum and Angela MacVicar, who lost her daughter Johanna to leukaemia in 2005 aged 27.

Johanna was 16 when she was diagnosed. Her mum said gathering research, identifying options and seeking out the genuine people, therapies and support was a daunting task.

In 2012, Ms MacVicar, family members and MacCallum set up Rainbow Valley with the aim of supporting those suffering from cancer and their loved ones.

Ten years later, MacCallum, from Aberfoyle, was charged with forming a fraudulent scheme to appropriate funds being donated to Rainbow Valley.

The 61-year-old arranged for the donations to be routed through a bank account she had access to in her official capacity. She would then transfer the money to her personal bank accounts or use it to pay for her own expenses.

The court heard she obtained £85,978 between February 2013 and November 2021.

MacCallum was also charged with forming a fraudulent scheme to appropriate funds being donated to the Anthony Nolan Trust between July 2011 and September 2016.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard she obtained £9,505 in her official capacity with the stem cell charity as a result after forging signatures of office holders on cheques.

She was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Tuesday.