£150,000 Raised for Charity from Book Sales at Hillmount

Local author Aidan Campbell BEM has penned a range of local history books which have raised £150,000 for local charities through sales at Hillmount Garden Centre.

The east Belfast man began writing about local history 20 years ago and has since published 23 books covering East Belfast, South Belfast and Greater Belfast. Having retired following a serious illness in 2008, Aidan continues to research local history, give talks to a wide range of social and community groups and contributes to local media.

Robin Mercer, managing director of Hillmount, said: “We are grateful to the generosity of our customers who have bought Aidan’s books and enabled us to donate £150,000 to local charities.

“We have had a long relationship with Aidan and we are looking forward to his continued success with a new book due to grace our shelves this autumn.”

Aidan Campbell said: “Writing these books has been a real labour of love for me. I have a passion for history and while there is an appetite for my books I am very happy to continue to write them. I am looking forward to completing the next book in the series which will make a great gift or addition to any bookshelf.”

Aidan was recognised for his charitable work at the 2010 Marie Curie National Volunteer Achievement Awards in London where he was awarded a crystal globe for ‘Outstanding Contribution Charity Wide’. In 2017 Aidan was awarded the British Empire Medal at Hillsborough Castle and enjoyed a trip for him and his wife Christine to Buckingham Palace as ‘Fund Raiser, Marie Curie, for Services to Patients with Cancer’.

Aidan’s best-selling books support a range of charities including Marie Curie Hospice, MS Society, Guide Dogs NI, Mission to Seafarers and ABF, The Soldiers Charity.

Books are available in store at Hillmount and the next in the series entitled ‘Shandon’ will be on sale in autumn.