The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Pete’ s charity craft plan
Growing up in 1960s Dundee for Pete Shepherd was a difficult time, with his childhood proving to be an uphill battle to keep himself fed and avoid ending up in care.
Now, Pete is hoping to bring a charity craft project to the city, with the hope of getting local school children on board to give back to their community.
Pete, who now resides in Chemainus, Canada, with his family, built up his foundation during the pandemic as a self-therapy method.
The Salish Sea Stones project was established in March 2020, where Pete began to collect river rocks and stones from the shore of the Salish Sea.
The project was built out of a need to recover after he was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression, following what was a difficult childhood growing up in Dundee.
Pete said: “I left Dundee and am extremely proud that my brothers and I went on to join the military.
“I emigrated to Canada with my wife, who I met when I joined the police, and became a police officer as part of the British Columbia Parliament.”
Pete was diagnosed with PTSD, as well as anxiety and depression, while in Canada, and was told to find a hobby and perhaps
go to the gym, but as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic closing down leisure facilities, he was at a loss what to do.
“You couldn’t go to the gym, so I went out on trails on my bike. Canadians had put lots of stone art out on the trails for people to see and I thought that I would try it as a form of therapy,” Pete said.
“I very quickly found out that I am not an artist but I found a way to make them different, and easier to
create, by using removable tattoos on the stones.”
When Pete collects a stone from the shore he cleans it, paints it and then adds the image, finishing it off with a lining of soft felt.
What started out as a therapeutic activity soon evolved into a creative project to help children, with the money made from selling the stones going towards First Nations children in British Columbia.
He is now keen to bring
the project to his hometown, meeting with Baldragon Academy and Dundee High School to see if they wish to get involved.
He said: “I’m going to teach the children how to make the stones and decorate them with the hope that they will take over the project for themselves and all of the money will go towards local causes of their choosing.”
Pete has been meeting with figures and
organisations in Dundee about the project, including the lord provost, the V&A and Dundee High School rector.
He hopes both schools will work together on the project. However, the current obstacle is finding £1,500 so that Baldragon can get involved.
To get involved with the project and help Pete bring his charity to the City of Discovery, email Salishseastones1@gmail. com.