The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Little Sophie lined up to be calendar girl
An Angus tot will capture hearts after winning a place in a national charity calendar. The heart-warming snap of Arbroath two-year-old Sophie Strachan and her dad, Matthew, at a local Remembrance event has been chosen from more than 100 entries to feature in the 2021 Little Troopers “Through Our Eyes” calendar.
It seeks to shine a light on the unique experiences of military children and Sophie will appear as the September entry in the shot which captures the moment she is raised in the air by her dad, an Army Reservist with 212 Highland Battery.
The picture was taken at the 2019 ANZAC commemoration staged at Arbroath’ s Western cemetery, a centrepiece of Scotland’s annual spring tribute to the fallen of Australia and New Zealand.
Sophie was delivered at home by her daddy and they share a special bond.
Sophie’s mum, Katherine, said: “Sophie loves her daddy being a soldier.
“She always tries to pop her little feet in his boots and tries on his beret.
She really misses him when he is away but daddy cuddles when he returns are the best kind.”
The calendar also includes a positive message each month from a celebrity who has either served in the military or grown up as a military child. Figures who supported the venture include Invictus athlete and former Royal Marines Commando Mark Ormrod MBE, Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes and Bravo Two Zero author Andy McNab.
Sophie’ s photo will appear alongside a message from Billy Billingham, a decorated former SAS soldier who went on to work as a bodyguard for several Hollywood stars.
Charity founder Louise Fetigan said: “We hope that by sharing these stories, other military children will see that there are lots of Little Troopers who share similar experiences and are part of this very special community of amazing and resilient young people.”
Proceeds from the calendar will provide resources to support military children.