A fundraising raffle will help to create memorials to a Barra teenager killed in the Manchester bombings and a young Aberdeen man who died from a brain tumour earlier this year.
Eilidh Macleod, 14, was attending the Ariana Grande concert with her friend and fellow pupil at Castlebay Community School Laura MacIntyre, 15, who was seriously injured in the blast.
After a very brave struggle after his diagnosis of a brain tumour, Ali Repper of Aberdeen passed away at the young age of 27.
Artist Hope Blamire, who is organising the raffle, said: “In order to celebrate the lives of these two special young people, we are going to raise funds from this Christmas charity raffle to contribute towards a permanent memorial on beautiful Barra for Eilidh and a memorial bench in lovely Stoer next to Clachtoll in Sutherland for Ali. The remaining funds will go to their family’s chosen charities.”
Plans for a memorial to Eilidh are underway. Her great uncle, Councillor Donald Manford, said: “It is a traumatic thing for us all to be talking about. No decisions will be arrived at without close discussions with the family.
“What we have decided is that a memorial will be erected at the appropriate time and with appropriate engagement with everybody concerned.
“This will be a remembrance for many many decades to come. It is important that the most careful thought and consideration is given to what the memorial will be and the location of it.”
Ms Blamire’s Christmas charity raffle will be drawn on Sunday December 17 at 9pm.
She said she had been taking photographs on Barra for some of her latest work and the tragedy in Manchester struck a chord. She said: “Barra is such a spiritual community. It is a lovely special place and I thought this would be a nice thing to do.”
The star prize is a trip to Barra. Loganair has donated return flights and the prize includes a tour of the island, bed and breakfast plus food. As a reminder of the trip the winner will receive Number 1 of the limited edition Barra beach landing print by the artist.
To buy a ticket visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hope-blamire-1?utm_id=63