Fab four to take on obstacle challenge for new children's good cause
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A CHARITY which aims to give children with disabilities access to intensive therapies has received a boost thanks to four Inverness friends.
Dream, Believe, Achieve has been set up by Kris and Stephanie Douglas after their previous success in motivating people across the Highlands to support the Step Up for Sam effort, in aid of their four-year-old son who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The thousands of pounds raised for Sam has given him access to therapies not available on the NHS which his parents say have had a hugely positive impact on his health and development.
With Dream, Believe, Achieve, they now hope to give others the same chance.
“The NHS is wonderful but cannot offer intensive physio or other therapies which we know really improve the abilities of children and their quality of life,” Mrs Douglas said.
“We now have private therapists who travel up here and see multiple children, but it’s very costly and we want to give other children like Sam the same chances he has.
“Sam will, however, not benefit from the fundraising for Dream, Believe, Achieve – it’s for other children.”
Personal trainer Nicco Tough and three of his friends – Grant Thompson, Liam Barry and Garry Finlayson – are determined to help the cause get off to a great start with a fundraising effort that will see them tackle 11 different obstacle endurance events this year.
“We were talking at the end of last year about booking some obstacle course races for this year and agreed that we would challenge ourselves and use it to help raise money for the charity at the same time,” Mr Tough said.
Hoping to raise £5000 through their efforts and no stranger to endurance events, he added: “They’ve always been good fun and a huge laugh when done with mates.”
The first event the interpid foursome will face is the Mighty Deerstalker Rat Race in the Scottish Borders on March 16, a night-time race taking in forests, rivers and mountains.
Mrs Douglas said: “We were blown away by Nicco and his pals offering to do such amazing and crazy challenges to raise money for us.
“I used to work with Nicco’s wife Ashleigh, who is also a staff nurse, so it was lovely they thought of us.”
To donate to the charity effort go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dreambelieveachieveocr
A gig featuring local bands Torridon and The Guilty Pleasures at the Ironworks in Inverness on Saturday, April 13 will also raise funds for Dream, Believe, Achieve. Tickets (£12) are available from the venue.
