Summer is taking fundraiser all in her stride
Youngster is raising cash and awareness for mental health
A young girl from Perth is walking circuits of the city’s parks to raise money and awareness for Andys Man Club after losing her dad a year ago.
Summer Gray (8) wanted to recreate the walks she and her father Christopher used to do together in happier times.
Saturday, February 6 is the first anniversary of his sudden death aged 32, and Summer’s mum Tanya Ritchie is helping her do something positive with all the emotions that have built up from the loss.
Every day this week, beginning on Monday February 1, Summer has put her best foot forward, sometimes joined by a pal, sometimes just with her mum, walking roughly four miles along the paths of the Inches in Perth.
And on Saturday, the last day of Summer’s walks and the first anniversary of Christopher’s death, friends are bringing balloons across the railway bridge to Moncreiffe Island, a favourite place of his, for Summer and her two big brothers to release.
Tanya hopes the children could float a message in a bottle away down the river.
Christopher is buried in his home town of Crieff and Summer and her siblings are not able to visit his grave because of travel restrictions keeping them in Perth.
Her mum Tanya (32) was together with Christopher for 14 years but they split up, remaining in contact over the children they shared.
She told the PA her former partner had been facing ‘personal issues’ but had not known about support groups like Andys Man Club which offer a vital outreach to men experiencing crisis in their lives.
He had missed out on the opportunity to talk about his problems when it mattered.
Tanya, who having previously worked full time, left her work after Christopher’s death just before the pandemic took hold last year.
She said while they had been together with the family growing up, she worked and he had been a stay-at-home dad.
“He was great taking youngest child Summer out on her bike and having adventures round Perth’s green spaces,” Tanya said.
But she revealed the eight-year-old had not been herself since the tragedy happened and had “ups and
Summer takes a stroll on a rainy day. Inset is Summer and pal Savannah who walked the North Inch with her, aiming to let more people hear about Andys Man Club, the group which Alex McClintock (centre) is leading in Perth downs, lots of deep downs.”
“The grief is so hard to bear, so much more for children,” she told the PA.
“In my effort to get a handle on what they were feeling, I was only helped by a guy from Barnardo’s children’s charity in Dundee who forwarded me links.
“I looked into what was out there to help and I found no one was specifically supporting children in Perth, there does not seem to be any funding.
“Unless you go private, there wasn’t anywhere obvious in Perth for Summer and her brothers Brandon (14) and Christopher (11) to turn to.
“Even the school can’t help Summer as we are all at home because of the pandemic.
“It has not been easy. I’m thinking I might see if I can train and help other children going through something similar after all I have had to learn.”
Summer’s walking crowdfunder appeal was her own idea of how to do something good in the face of her pain.
She set herself a target of £150 and, so far, the sponsorship pledges on her gofundme page had risen to an amazing £674 by midweek.
All the money donated will go to Andys Man Club (AMC), a mental health charity that has supported family members in recent months.
Alex McClintock of Andys Man Club Perth met Summer for her first walk on Monday and presented her with a AMC hoodie to wear.
He said: “What Summer is doing to raise awareness in honour of her dad who passed last year is inspiring and all of us at AMC are blown away by her efforts.”
The Goodlyburn schoolgirl was invited to talk about her personal challenge on local radio, speaking to presenters through a Zoom call, saying she has been really buoyed by the energy and goodwill her promise has attracted.
And Summer’s mum was impressed with her walking: “Originally we thought three miles would be about right.
“Well on Monday she and a friend from football did 7.27 miles in three hours on the first one, she totally smashed it.
“I’m so proud. She’s amazing.
“There has been snow on the ground, wild weather and Summer has chronic asthma - but she has not let any of it hold her back.”
Tanya said the walks have left Summer “full of enthusiasm” and she is now planning to do something like this every year at the anniversary, perhaps raising money for different charities.
The sponsorship page on gofundme.com is called ‘Summers fundraiser in memory of her daddy’.
What Summer is doing to raise awareness in honour of her dad is inspiring and we are blown away at AMC Perth