TRAGIC FREYA’S XMAS GIFT BOOST FOR KIDS
Mum’s tribute over toy donations
A SEVEN-year-old girl who died in a waterfall accident will leave a lasting legacy – by making sure local children will have a present to unwrap on Christmas morning.
Tragic Freya Skene lost her life when she was dragged down a series of waterfalls at a beauty spot near Ossian’s Cave in Perthshire in July.
Despite mum Brooke and her partner Sean McKiddie’s best efforts to save her, the Dundee youngster sadly passed away at Ninewells Hospital.
Charity Freya’s Wish was set up in her memory and will operate a Toy Recycle Service in the city on December 18.
Run by CrossReach, the operating name of the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council, people are being urged to donate good quality second-hand toys and unwanted presents to ensure that children from disadvantaged families receive a visit from Santa.
Brooke, 26, will be volunteering at the event, which has benefited 500 children so far, to see first-hand the impact that her “big hearted” daughter continues to have.
She said: “Freya had a pure heart, was very wise beyond her years and one day I explained to her about how some boys and girls don’t get toys at Christmas.
“So we went through all her stuff together and we had loads and decided that the R and R Cafe was the perfect place to give things to.
“Who knew from that day, from Freya’s act of kindness, she would have started something so big to enable many families to enjoy Christmas?”
Toy Recycle founder Lucie Conway said: “Covid-19 has caused untold hardships this year and the CrossReach Toy recycle will be needed more than ever.”
The Toy Recycle was established in 2015 after Lucie saw a post on Facebook from Brooke who said her three-year-old daughter wanted to give some of her toys away to children less fortunate than her.
Lucie added: “Brooke decided she liked that idea of helping people in recovery of addictions, so I picked up the toys in my car and little Freya was there helping her mum load them.”