Raising money is my way of saying thanks to the rescue teams who worked so hard to find my tragic dad
Schoolboy on his brave father and fundraising efforts for RNLI
It might have claimed his father’s life but Keiran Reid has a special affinity with the sea… remembering the days his dad would take him dolphin watching on the Moray Firth.
The schoolboy was just six when fisherman Craig, 25, was washed overboard from the trawler Apollo in a gale-force storm off Orkney.
A frantic search involving helicopters, the Kessock Lifeboat and French and American aircraft diverted from a Nato exercise was stood down after nine hours. Three months later, another fishing boat found Craig’s body. But only weeks after his father’s death, Keiran, now 11, from Avoch on the Black Isle, started raising money for the local rescue team who had searched so tirelessly for his dad.
Four years on, he’s helped to raise £10,000 for the RNLI and when he is old enough he wants to join the volunteer crew who have become like family.
The youngster’s selfless dedication to helping others has earned him a
Young Scot Award nomination in the
Young Hero category.
Keiran said: “Fundraising is my way of thanking the rescue teams who worked so hard to find my dad after he was lost at sea.
“I miss him a lot. We both loved cars and fishing. I used to enjoy playing crazy golf, going to the Rollerbowl and taking trips on the dolphin boat with him when he was home from sea.
“I will never forget him and helping to raise money for the Kessock Lifeboat makes sure he won’t be forgotten by others. I plan to keep raising money for the RNLI for many years.
“The first event I helped with was an organised car wash with my family and friends. I filled up the water buckets and foamed the cars all day. That day we helped to raise £2500. “After that, I wanted to do my own event and I came up with the idea of doing a sponsored bike cycle and a fancy dress party, which raised another £700.
“I now help out at the car wash every year and, when it could not go ahead due to Covid, I took part in a sponsored walk to raise funds. “The Kessock Lifeboat crew are so good to me. They are my friends and make me feel like part of their family. They will always be special to me because they tried to find my dad.”
Craig, from Munlochy, Inverness-shire, was prawn fishing in the North Sea on April 18, 2016, when he was swept overboard in horrendous weather conditions 20 miles north-west of the Orkney Isles.
Even the scramble by French and US military aircraft – in northern Scotland on a joint training exercise – could not locate the young fisherman. His body was not found until July 31 by a fishing vessel 25 miles north-west of the islands.
Keiran’s mum Keri- Marie Gibson said the family did not even know whether Craig would ever be found and wanted to make sure her son would remember him.
She said: “Keiran was only six when his dad died and, to be honest, he is finding it more difficult to come to terms with as he gets older.
“Craig was missing for three months and we had no idea whether he would be discovered so my mum Miranda decided to make Keiran a miniature boat as a tribute to his dad – a special place where he could go to remember him.
“Even though Craig was found, the boat is still important to Keiran. It is painted the same colours as the Apollo, the fishing boat of the Reid family, and we repaint it every year.”
Keri-Marie, Ker 28, said Keiran’s fundraising fundr makes him feel closer close to his father.
She said: “He just loves it. He woulwould do anything to help the local lifeboat and the guys down there are wonderful with him.
“I tthink he will always have a close connection with them, which is lovely, and he wants to keep doing the fundraising.
“Craig’s name has also been added to the list of loved ones being remembered on the side of the Invergordon Lifeboat. These are all ways to keep his memory alive for Keiran.”
The Avoch Primary pupil is delighted to have been nominated for a Young Scot Award. He said: “I was excited when my mum told me about the nomination. I think my dad would be very proud of me for all my fundraising.
“I want other people to know they are not alone in the world and, if they are in trouble, the emergency services like the lifeboat can help. I’d like to be part of the RNLI crew when I am older.”
Kessock Lifeboat operations manager Stan McCrae said: “The whole crew are very proud of Keiran and his fantastic fundraising.
“As a charity, we are busier than ever while, at the same time, donations are falling, so the RNLI needs support like this to save more lives.”
Just before Christmas, the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards launched our annual search for the nation’s young heroes aged 11 to 26 making a difference across Scotland. Over the last 15 years, we have celebrated the exceptional contributions and humbling achievements of our young people.
Our awards have 13 categories, including enterprise, sport, volunteering, environment and arts. One of the category winners will be crowned overall Young Scot of 2021 and will follow in the footsteps of 2020 champions the Scottish Youth Climate Strikers, whose protests led to the Government setting a target date of 2045 for reaching net-zero emissions. This year’s event will take place virtually on April 22.