A Perthshire teenager whose father died following years of alcohol abuse is raising funds for a local charity which helps the children of parents with addictions.
Iona Macgillivray’s dad, “Big John”, battled booze for decades and the 19-year-old from Blair Atholl went through counselling at school to help her cope.
John Macgillivray died suddenly a year ago, aged just 50, and Iona will walk 55 miles in his memory to raise cash for Barnardo’s Hopscotch, a project which offers support to youngsters whose parents abuse alcohol and drugs.
Iona said: “I think that what Hopscotch does is great and I wish that I’d known about the service when I was younger.
“It really helped me to be able to talk to a counsellor in school but it would have been good to meet and talk to other children you feel like you’re the only person when it’s happening to you and it’s not easy to talk to friends.”
Joining Iona on the gruelling 24-hour trek, which begins at Blair Castle on Friday morning, is her mum Marina McFarlane and aunt Janet Murdoch Iona admits that it hurt to see “Big John” deteriorating as drink took an increasing hold over his life.
She said: “Though my dad had a long-term problem with alcohol, and though it was obvious his life was being destroyed by it, in the end he died very suddenly, with no opportunity to say goodbye.
“I wanted to find a way to mark it, to have good come of the sad way in which his life had ended. There is so much to celebrate he was a larger-than-life character, with lots to offer, and it’s important to hold on to that.
“That’s why doing the walk is important as a way to focus thoughts and memories and think of all of the good reasons to celebrate my dad’s life, and help others, too. I wonder if he is at peace now and happy I hope so.”
Iona and her family have already raised more than £250, which will help Hopscotch Perth and Kinross provide individual therapeutic work, counselling, groupwork, befriending and mentoring.
Hopscotch senior practitioner Karen Yellowlees said: “Iona shared her story with me, and I was struck, as I always am when I speak to children and young people at Hopscotch, at just how frequently the themes of loneliness and isolation come through.
“Children and young people are managing complex and challenging situations, often on their own with little support.
“When they become involved with Hopscotch, they often will say how good it feels to be able to talk and just ‘let it go’, describing feelings of relief, and that they value the opportunities to meet with other children and get to know the staff and volunteers at Hopscotch.”
A group of supporters will be at Blair Castle on Friday morning at 10am to wave the walkers off and the loyal friends will be at Blair Atholl Village Hall to welcome them back again on Saturday at the same time.
Iona added: “My dad would say I was mad walking all that way but, really, he’d be proud of me.”
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