A brave group of bereaved parents from across Tayside and Fife walked barefoot over hot coals to raise much-needed cash for the Scottish Cot Death Trust.
As well as tackling the pit of glowing embers, the charity event at VIDA in Dunfermline gave people the chance to break arrows with just their necks in a bid to help them overcome their biggest fears.
Organisers James and Elaine Penman lost their daughter Abbie to cot death in November 1999, when she was just 10 weeks old.
Her death left a huge void in their lives that will never be filled, but the support they received from the Scottish Cot Death Trust helped them move forward.
Over the years the Dunfermline couple have been heavily involved with the work of the charity and befriended other mums and dads who have suffered a similar loss.
The event was one of their biggest fund-raisers yet, with more than 40 people taking part and around £6000 raised so far.
James (33) said, “We wanted to raise money in memory of our daughter, Abbie, and also give other families the opportunity to remember their children in a unique way.
“After some thought we decided a firewalk would be that wee bit different and also quite a challenge it proved to be a very popular choice and a great night was had by all. We plan on holding another one next year.”
Elaine (29) said, “When Abbie died, our health visitor put us in touch with the Scottish Cot Death Trust and we were supported by their bereavement support worker.
“At that time the support services were quite limited but due to the hard work of staff and volunteers over the years, the help available has really expanded.
“Throughout the 11 years since Abbie died we have been heavily involved with the trust and often befriend other bereaved families. The trust desperately needs money to help it continue to grow and support families devastated by cot death.
“It is so important that anyone experiencing the sudden and unexpected death of a child has the opportunity to receive support from the trust-as the only cot death charity in Scotland, it really is vital.”
Linda Sterry (38), from Braco in Perthshire, also took part in memory of her son Gregor, who died suddenly in March 2009.
She and her husband Mark also received “invaluable support” from the trust so much so that Linda, a former telecoms engineer, is undertaking a placement in its Glasgow office to “give something back.”
Linda said, “It’s hard to put into words how amazing the event was, there was such as sense of togetherness and it was really empowering.
“People keep asking me if it hurt but I can honestly say I didn’t feel anything as I strode across the coals, nothing can hurt as much as losing a child.
“For me it was so much more than a fund-raiser, it was the meeting of minds and emotions of people driven by the loss of their children and the need to honour their lives.”