BIG STEPS TAKEN
Community comes together for Walkathon in memory of Jordan
There were emotional scenes in the Wellmeadow in Blairgowrie at the weekend as the community came together to raise more than £8000 in support of Jordan’s Challenge.
Nearly 200 people from almost 50 local groups, organisations and businesses took part in a 24-hour walkathon in the town centre focal point, taking it in turns to walk round the Wellmeadow for an hour at a time.
Hosted by Proactive Communities, the Walkathon was organised to help raise money for Jordan’s Challenge, which will see Blairgowrie’s Susan Hart walk or cycle five kilometres every day for six months from June 2 to December 2 in memory of her son Jordan, who died by suicide in November last year.
Along with her husband Gavin and daughter Bethany, the family is raising funds for a series of benches in the town.
The benches will be ‘happy to chat – happy to listen’ benches, providing a space where people can come together and talk, helping to reduce social isolation.
With the money raised from the Walkathon, Jordan’s Challenge has raised £9631.65 so far.
And the Wellmeadow Walkathon, which took place from 4pm on Saturday to 4pm on Sunday, also aimed to raise awareness of the stigma that can often still surround mental health.
Susan, Gavin and Bethany, along with friends and family, started the Walkathon and it was closed by members of the town’s Mantalk group – who raised an incredible £657 for Jordan’s Challenge.
Thanking everyone for their support, Susan said: “Words cannot express fully how grateful we are and thank you is not enough. We have been overwhelmed by it all, it has been a whirlwind of emotions for so many of us.
“The community came together and there was talking, walking, laughter and tears.
“There was time for reminiscing, listening to each other.
“Everyone has mental health, it is nothing to feel ashamed about.
“We need to normalise that it is okay to talk. We can’t keep hiding, we need to use our voices together, to collaborate, to be bigger than the stigma – that is the only way it can be reduced.
“The Walkathon saw us all get together in our little groups, the ones that provide us with help and support and friendship every day.
“We got together for those who we have lost too soon, for those who are left and for those who fight our own brains each and every day, and this community proved that we are stronger together.”
She added: “I wish I could name everyone individually, but I hope that you all recognise your part in this journey.
“But thanks must be said to all my immediate family, extended family, adopted family and the Honeyberry family, and work family, for all the things you do. To the friends that have been at the end of a phone, message or text, at silly o clock in those early days and the months since.
“To the support groups for listening, to Sharon and all her team at The Lighthouse for Perth for all that you do with those in crisis.
“To Clare for your support of us all, and managing to make sense of my scrambled emotions, to
Discover Blairgowrie and Proactive Communities – Lesley, Steve, Sam and all the team for helping to reimagine my 2am thoughts into something tangible.
“To the Rotary Club of Blairgowrie for all their support, Terry Comiskey and Mantalk, Women’s Walk and Chat, Holly Richardson and Pete Richardson, and all the teams that took part and all those behind the scenes.
“And to everyone that has stopped for a chat, messaged and been part of the Blairgowrie community and shown so much support.”
Among the groups and businesses that took part were Mantalk, Proactive Communities, Blair in Bloom, Blairgowrie Riding for the Disabled, the Co-op, the GLD Group, Blairgowrie Rainbows and Brownies, Blairgowrie Players, Something Special Flowers, The Angus Hotel and Spa, The A Proctor Group, Nest Creative Spaces, Kindrogan Somerville School, the Rotary Club of Blairgowrie, CraicN Communications, the Blairgowrie Advertiser, The Heat Project, First Aid Perthshire, Councillor Bob Brawn, Councillor Tom McEwan and family, BOOKMARK, Susie Black Fitness, Strathmore Screen, Strathmore Dance, Cut Above, Tesco, Calutec, SCYD, the Air Cadets, Evolution Combat Sport, the Bank of Scotland, Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Football Club, the Uniform Exchange, the Climate Cafe, Blairgowrie and Rattray Illuminations Committee, the Linda Tosh School of Dance, Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust and RBS.
Local businesses including The Dome, Number 31s, the Fair o’ Blair, Tesco and the Wee Coffee Shop provided refreshments with Irvine’s the butchers supplying bacon for breakfast rolls and Castle Water supplying water bottles.
Participants also received a commemorative Jordan’s Challenge badge designed by Holly Richardson and provided by First Aid Perthshire as well as flowers donated by Something Special Flowers.
Sam Stewart, from Proactive Communities’ volunteer group support, told the Blairie: “It has been an incredible weekend and just amazing to see everyone come together in support of Jordan’s Challenge.
“Everyone has been so generous. “We would like to add our thanks to everyone who supported the Walkathon, in particular the team at the Fair o’ Blair who not only took part and raised sponsorship from their customers but who are also donating their rainbow bench to us.
“Thanks also to the Rotary, which donated £500, walked for three hours, and lent us their gazebo which was much appreciated on what turned out to be a fairly chilly night.
“As well as raising money we wanted to raise awareness of the issues and get folk talking about mental health.
“The reaction has been fantastic and the amount of people we have reached has gone beyond all our expectations. Hopefully the conversations that have been started by this will continue in the days, weeks, months and years to come.”
Donations can still be made online at https://gofund.me/0491376d
• The Samaritans are available 24/7 to talk to anyone, whatever you are going through. Call free on 116 123.
• The Lighthouse for Perth can be contacted on 0800 121 4820 from 10am to 4pm, Mondays to Thursdays and from 8pm to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Photographs by Clare McMicking, CraicN Communications