A BOOK that took more than a decade to complete has raised more than £4,000 for charity.

Sarah Byrom launched Marmalade Raspberries & Albrecht: Poetry Prose Memoir last summer.

Proceeds from the book, which is a celebration of the importance of families and the “often bonkersness of daily, family life”, have topped £4,200.

The Musselburgh author became a foster carer two years ago through Aberlour Children’s Charity, which has premises in Prestonpans.

Recognising the importance of the good cause’s work to support struggling families through its Urgent Assistance Fund, Sarah has covered all costs of publishing her book herself and has donated every penny from its sale to the emergency relief fund.

She said: “It has been a joy to finally release Marmalade Raspberries & Albrecht: Poetry Prose Memoir and see it in print after working on it for 14 years.

“But it has been even more fulfilling to know that the money raised through its sale is helping families struggling across the country to buy the basic essentials their children desperately need.”

Aberlour works across Scotland, providing a range of family support services.

Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund has been a lifeline for many families during the Covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, giving emergency cash grants to pay for food, utilities, clothing and other basics.

Since April 2021, thousands of families, including more than 12,000 children, have benefited from grants from the Aberlour Urgent Assistance Fund worth over £2 million.

Abby Parkhouse, community fundraiser at Aberlour, said: “We are thrilled that Sarah has been able to raise over £4,200 through the sale of her book for the Aberlour Urgent Assistance Fund.

“One in four children is living in poverty in Scotland. Across the country, children are going without the basics – things most of us take for granted – and the need has never been greater.

“Sarah has been able to help many families buy food, clothe their children and keep the heating on this winter. Without supporters like Sarah we wouldn’t be there for the families who need us.”