New Year Honours: Perth dad turned grief for teenage son into support for bereaved families

Hugh McAninch brought bereaved Scottish families together in the wake of the Dunblane tragedy and the death of his son Christopher.

By Morag Lindsay

December 30 2023, 5:53am

Christopher McAninch's death inspired his father Hugh to volunteer on behalf of other bereaved families.

When Hugh McAninch’s teenage son was killed in a road accident, he channelled his grief into helping other bereaved parents

Through the charity, the Compassionate Friends, he provided a shoulder to families experiencing the terrible heartache of losing a child.

And now the Perth dad’s decades of support have been recognised with a MBE in the New Year Honours list.

Hugh, 77, says it’s an honour he is proud to share with the charity and with his late son Christopher, whose memory still spurs him on.

“Three of my colleagues died around the same time as Christopher,” he said.

“And what struck me was that people spoke about them for a day or two and then they were never mentioned again. Things moved on.”

Christopher McAninch in football strip — Christopher played for a number of Perth teams. Image: Hugh McAninch.

“I got a panic attack that this was going to happen with my son,” he added.

“So I said to my wife ‘let’s try to do something in his memory’.

“That’s what kept us going.”

Hugh not the only McAninch devoted to helping charity

Christopher was just 17 when he died in 1989.

The keen footballer had gone on a cycle run around Perth with his little brother when he was hit by a van.

Hugh and his wife Maureen had driven the route just days before to measure the distance for the boys, so knew exactly where to find him when the call came.

Maureen and Hugh McAninch — Maureen has been by Hugh’s side throughout his voluntary career. Image: Hugh McAninch.

They found Christopher badly injured and barely alive. He died in hospital a few hours later.

Shattered with grief, Hugh, a retired railway engineer, and Maureen started their own group for bereaved families in their Perth home.

They joined forces with the Compassionate Friends as volunteers in 1992.

Hugh served as the charity’s regional co-ordinator for Scotland for many years.

He also chaired and acted as treasurer for its Scottish gathering.

It was set up to bring bereaved families north of the border together following the Dunblane school shooting in 1996.

Woman police officer laying a bouquet on top of a large mound of flowers outside Dunbland Primary School following the 1996 shooting. — Flowers at the gates of Dunblane Primary School following the 1996 massacre.

Maureen was also a stalwart of the Scottish gathering committee over the years.

And Hugh was instrumental in the creation of the children’s memorial garden in Rodney Gardens, Perth.

Children's memorial garden, with trees, shrubs and neatly mowed lawn — The children’s memorial garden in Perth. Image: Hugh McAninch.

The couple recently stepped back from their frontline roles with the Scottish gathering. But they are still on hand to help out in whatever way they can.

“The reason we kept it going for so long was for the children of Dunblane,” said Hugh.

“I felt we owed it to them.”

You can find out more about The Compassionate Friends here.