Solved Clueless as to the present I have been given.

Thank you all for your input. The flowers on mine were definitely white so hopefully a positive. Friend is generous but think maybe the expensive variety is unlikely! The plant is a good size being in I think a 7.5 ltr pot, certainly not a “ stick”.I do have a faithful supporter of my charity plant sale who has a very sheltered garden in St Andrews. He can grow some amazing Magnolias and some of the more tender large leafed species Rhododendron so might try and persuade him to buy what I have. I really am past, bar a few things, plants that will struggle with my climate preferring to have things which look happy here ( Fife, quite high and not near the coast). I do agree with @JennyJB that imo it is winter wet that does more damage than cold. I can grow the likes of evergreen ceanothus and Nerine both of which are on a slight south facing slope with little likelihood of the soil becoming waterlogged.
I luckily, am not gardening on clay so have a “ sea” of Eranthis flowering atm, I believe they are not thrilled about having their “ feet” in water.