Raising £50,000 to help Huntington’s families is no small potatoes!
From ‘tattie shed’ dances to abseils; Santa tractor runs to a ladies’ day, Fiona Gray and her family have raised nearly £50,000 for Scottish Huntington’s Association.
Bringing their community together in support of the Huntington’s community has become a big part of their lives over the past 12 years as a thank you for support from the Scottish Huntington’s Association HD Specialist Service and Specialist Youth Advisors.
This year alone Fiona’s husband Kevin has raised over £2200 by taking part in the Falkirk Wheel Abseil and donations continue to come in from the collection can at their local petrol station. Fiona’s nephew Blair Scott took part in the Aberdeen Kiltwalk in June and the family is also taking on the Dundee Kiltwalk on 17 August, on what would have been Fiona’s mum Marion Scott’s 83rd birthday.
“When Mum was diagnosed it was a big learning curve for all of us. She had mobility issues and over time was no longer able to walk or speak. The support we had from Scottish Huntington’s Association made a real difference,” said Fiona, who lives in Turriff, Aberdeenshire.
“Dad was able to look after her at home, which is what Mum wanted, with carers coming just to help get her up and ready in the mornings.”
The family’s fundraising began amongst family and friends – but over the years has grown to involve the town’s wider community.
“We started with coffee days at my brother Gordon’s house and we just invited people we knew,” said Fiona.
“As well home baking, we had a raffle and, as my husband is farmer, we also sold small bags of potatoes and carrots. The coffee days usually made around £2000. My nephew Lachlan, who was a keen baker as a child, collected recipes from family and friends and created a small recipe book, which we also sold. His brother Blair made a calendar to sell too.
“Then at the beginning of 2014, we decided to go bigger by organising our first Tattie Shed Dance in one of the sheds on our farm. Sadly Mum died in the February that year, just a few months before it took place.
“People we invited brought their own drink and a friend did the disco. We borrowed tables and chairs, sold raffle tickets, lucky squares and a lucky key game. A local caterer supplied food and there was an ice cream bike. We raised over £4000 and everyone was desperate for another one so In 2018 we brought it back.
“My daughter Abbie was keen to get involved too, and she did the Falkirk Wheel abseil and collected sponsorship and donations when she was 14. It was a fantastic day and she enjoyed doing something she’d never done before. This year it was her dad Kevin’s turn, and we all went along to cheer him on too.”
The Covid pandemic forced a pause but the family got into the swing again in 2021 when a team of seven took on the virtual Kiltwalk, trekking the full 26.4 miles around their hometown.
Then, as restrictions began to lift, new opportunities came along – including the chance to involve the whole town.
“Kevin was President of the Turriff Show in 2023 and traditionally the President’s wife – me – along with the Ladies Day committee organises the Ladies Day, which is a very popular event. It raises money for different charities each year and the committee agreed to include Scottish Huntington’s Association that year. We had an HD Specialist joining us as a guest on our table, and there was entertainment, an auction, raffles and games. It raised over £20,000, shared between Scottish Huntington’s Association and the two other charities,” said Fiona.
Another huge success was the annual Turra Christmas tractor run in 2023, involving 116 decorated tractors parading through Turriff and neighbouring towns. Hundreds of people turned out to watch and wave to the drivers, and it raised nearly £5000 for Scottish Huntington’s Association.
“Our children Abbie, Kyle and Logan, and my nephews Lachlan and Blair were always a big help with the fundraising,” said Fiona. “They served coffees, sold tickets, drew raffles, helped set up seats and tables and were very enthusiastic to help make our efforts a success.
“Also friends and everyone we asked to our events have been keen to do what they can to help, which makes things easier to organise and helps them to be so successful.”