A new service supporting bereaved children is the latest to benefit from the efforts of a local fundraiser.
Perth man Andrew Blair made it his mission to raise money for his community after support given to him following a life-changing accident in 2010.
Completing his final fundraising event last weekend, Andrew said he was proud to have been able to repay help he received after a fourth-floor balcony fall which left him in a coma.
He will now turn his attention to the cost of living crisis with his community, Andrew says: “Its exceptionally important we focus on giving something back to our wonderful communities.”
Andrew had a death-defying fall in Dubai while at a party in 2010.
He sustained a severe brain injury, falling four floors from a balcony.
After four months in a coma, Andrew was taken home to Scotland where he began the slow process of learning to walk and talk again.
Giving back to his community
To thank those who helped him, Andrew, now a mental health support worker, embarked on a series of fundraising drives.
Working with Tesco, Andrew organised fundraising days, first raising money for Mindspace Perth in 2017.
Next to benefit from a shop floor collection was Enable Scotland, then Sense Scotland.
Perth fundraising helps charity
Andrew explains how money helped over the last five years.
“There was £900 raised for Mindspace which provided them with new outdoor furniture. And £300 for Enable which went to fund days out in the community.
“Sense Scotland bought an outdoor trampoline for the service in Bridge of Earn.”
This time, with other volunteers he encouraged shoppers at Tesco in Edinburgh Road to raise money for Archie’s Child Bereavement Service.
The service, which started in Grampian region, offers support to bereaved children.
In March 2022, they announced the expansion of services into Tayside and Highlands with the aim of launching later in the year.
Online community support
And despite September’s collection being his last, Andrew has found a new way to help the local community.
He has recently set up a Facebook group called Perth Cost of Living Crisis.
It is hoped that it will be a group where people and organisations can come together to support those in need.
Andrew adds: “I am personally very proud with what I have managed as an individual to create, to help our amazing local and national health providers.
“We all come from different financial backgrounds, but when you have health issues, we are all the same.”
Conversation