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My family and I are raising money in support of SAMH, Scotland’s national mental health charity. SAMH provide free support to people struggling with mental health problems, addiction and homelessness, amongst many other services. Statistically 1 in 4 people in Scotland will experience a mental health problem therefore charities like SAMH are vitally important not just for the support they provide but for the work they do in raising awareness and challenging the stigma around mental health.

Why are we fundraising?
We lost our Dad suddenly back in March this year, he was 59 and so with his 60th birthday coming up in November we wanted to do something meaningful to mark the occasion. Knowing how much he loved his football, and Celtic, we are organising a family ‘Old Firm’ 11-a-side match as a way to bring everyone together to celebrate his life and raise some money for a really good cause in the process.

The event will be taking place on Saturday, 5th November at Maryhill FC football ground. With it being Old Firm themed, the teams will be captained by me (Rangers) and my brother (Celtic), and the squads will be made up of family, close friends and some mystery guests… Everyone is welcome to come along, more details on the flyer in the attached photos. We’ll be collecting donations on the day as well so whether you decide donate through here, in person or both, it’s all going towards a great cause so all donations no matter how small are much appreciated.

Why SAMH?
For those of you who weren’t aware, my Dad battled severe PTSD for many years due to being involved in a tragic car accident in which we lost our Mum and, as she was heavily pregnant at the time, our unborn brother. It was devastating for our family and we couldn't have imagined the long lasting impact it would have to our lives, none more so than our Dad’s.

Witnessing first hand the grip and affect mental health can have over someone we have a huge appreciation for the work organisations like SAMH do. The stigma associated with mental health and the lack of awareness of it back then, we feel, were huge contributing factors to why our Dad suffered for so long. The importance of getting the right support at the right time is invaluable and that is why we’ve chosen to fundraise in aid of SAMH.