Music and drama workshops bring joy to children

AN inspirational Arbroath woman misdiagnosed with terminal cancer is passing on her love of life to the younger generation through music and puppetry.

Abbey Craig, 40, is using puppets created by her parents to bring joy to children at music and drama workshops.

Working with husband Barry Smale, she runs the only Tick Tock Music classes for under-fives in Scotland.

The couple moved back to Arbroath from London this year after Abbey’s battle with cancer.

Tick Tock Music has proved a great success in Broughty Ferry, with Abbey using the original puppet booth used by her parents, Rick and Ann Craig of Auchmithie, 35 years ago.

She said: “When I was very young my parents ran the The Peek A Boo puppet theatre company.

“They used to do shows in Carnoustie, Broughty Ferry, Arbroath and Montrose every summer.

“Dad was an art teacher and made all the puppets and mum did drama so they combined their talents.”

Abbey went on to study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow before becoming a teacher.

It was when she moved to London she became involved with Tick Tock Music but everything was put on hold when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

After extensive treatment the family were devastated when Abbey received the news the cancer had spread to her ribs and the diagnosis was terminal.

She said: “When I was told the cancer had spread to my ribs and bones the best antidote was working with children.

“Barry and I planned in earnest to move back up to Scotland as last April I had been told I only had a couple of years and that I would decline pretty quickly.”

Further tests before Christmas revealed the diagnosis had been incorrect and there was no secondary cancer.

Abbey Craig