Montrose charity supporters shrugged off weekend weather to give their support to fundraising event in tribute to an inspirational little local girl.
On Saturday, Broomfield park hosted a festival of music, food and fun to help skin condition charity DEBRA.
The driving force behind the event was Laura Forsyth, whose young cousin, Adana Forsyth, lost her battle against epidermolysis bullosa (EB) in 2008 at the age of just ten.
Also known as ‘butterfly skin’, EB is an agonising condition for those affected by it, causing it to become very fragile and tear or blister at the slightest touch.
Adana’s bravery is remembered in the butterfly park on Montrose’s Mid Links where a special bench was commissioned in her memory.
Charity aspirations
Laura put together the family festival through her dedicated work as the charity’s deputy director of fundraising for Scotland.
“Adana was amazing, a real inspiration to me, the whole family and our whole local community,” she said.
“Everything I am doing now is because of her.
“I am loving working for DEBRA full-time and I’m hugely excited at the plans we are working on for the future,” said Laura.
“There is finally some hope with our drug repurposing research.
“Now we just have to fundraise the money to make it happen.
“I just want to do what I can to help so no more children have to live in that kind of pain.
“I saw it first-hand with someone I loved and I want to try to help save others from suffering that way.”
She won generous local support for the festival.
But far from being able to sit back and have a rest after the exertions of putting it all together and coping with the unhelpful weekend weather, Laura and and group of pals are preparing to scale the heights in Adana’s honour.
A group of nine locals will take on the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Snowdon,
Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis in the space of just 24 hours.
And they have already passed the £12,000 mark before setting foot on the first peak.
You can donate to the effort here.
Souness support for inspiring Isla
DEBRA is aiming to raise £5 million for its A Life Free of Pain appeal.
It received a major boost in June after Liverpool, Rangers and Scotland star Graeme Souness raised more than £1 million by swimming the English Channel.
The 70-year-old was inspired to undertake the challenge through his friendship with Isla Grist, a 14-year-old from the Black Isle.
Isla is living with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and Souness has spoken with deep emotion of the teenager’s bravery in coping with the condition.
He and Isla’s dad, Andy, were part of a six-strong team who successfully completed the Dover to Calais crossing.
Courier photographer Mhairi Edwards captured the fun at the Montrose event.
