An Aberdeenshire widower who wants to help others like him will hold his first big fundraiser next weekend.
Darren Cowan’s partner Casey Rodger died suddenly in 2018, leaving him to raise their two-year-old son Jock on his own.
Determined to help others, he is setting up the charity Rocks for Widows.
Next weekend, the landscape gardener will hold his first big event – a dinner at the Holiday Inn Westhill, hosted by football journalist Tam Cowan.
Mr Cowan, from Bridge of Don, said money raised from the event will help give financial assistance to families when they need it most.
The 41-year-old said: “When something like that happens to you realise it’s probably more common than you think,” he said.
“I was the main breadwinner but it was a real struggle for a good number of years to get things sorted out.
“We’ve heard a lot of stories about widows who are in debt trying to pay for a funeral.”
Tam Cowan has been ‘excellent’
Mr Cowan managed to get in touch with Tam Cowan through a mutual Airdrie football fan who knew him. Despite sharing a surname, the men are not related.
The sport based night will help capitalise on Tam’s long career as a football journalist, including 28 years hosting BBC Radio’s Off the Ball show.
Mr Cowan said: “Tam’s been really been excellent. Very helpful and I’ve been a big fan and listener over the years on the radio.
“It’s really good he’s agreed to come along and host the event for us.”
Mr Cowan said he knows he was lucky to have a “really good strong family and great friends” around him when Miss Rodger died.
The couple had been together for 10 years.
“I sometimes still struggle with everything that happened,” he said. “But I am determined to try and help others in that type of situation.
Support from all over
“What I found is, even if there was a small gesture from someone, even just a phone call, it meant I couldn’t give up.”
Mr Cowan’s fundraising efforts so far have been heavily supported by Kirsty Simpson.
Her husband Kevin died of kidney cancer after 23 years of marriage – leaving her with two teenage boys.
She fundraised throughout her husband’s illness and promised this would continue after his death in 2017.
Now she hopes to continue her efforts with Rocks For Widows.
The dinner is taking place on Saturday, November 12 at the Holiday Inn in Westhill.
There will be a three-course meal, raffle and auction. Tickets cost £40, e-mail rocksforwidows@outlook.com or message 07837 280498.
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