Nikki's March in a Nutshell
Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ founder, Nikki, shares an update on the events of the past month, including opening a brand-new lodge at Devon Cliffs for our bereaved military families, the return of Scotty's May Marathon and how you can get tickets to the best night of the year - Scotty's Ball!
Hello!
I have some exciting news to kick off! Last week, with a little help from Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ members Lennon and Ruby, we officially opened our seventh holiday home! The brand-new lodge is at Devon Cliffs Haven resort and was very generously funded by Forces Support. The lodge is now up and running and ready to start welcoming bereaved military families. I can’t wait for our members to start making some new happy memories there.
After my husband, Lee, was killed in Afghanistan, our children were never the same. Our daughter, Brooke, was just a baby and would have to grow up without her daddy, and our son, Kai, became a completely different five-year-old. I didn’t see him laugh again until nine months later, on a family holiday my cousin convinced us to go on. That one break made such a positive difference and I immediately wanted to give other bereaved military children the same opportunity Kai and Brooke had. That’s when the idea for Scotty Breaks first came to me and why they will always be a core part of our support.
May Marathon
In other news, Scotty’s May Marathon is back for the seventh year running! Complete 26.2 miles over the course of May in support of bereaved military children. You can walk, jog or run it, or any other way that works for you. Do it in one day, in two halves, or complete the miles across the whole month of May. Get the children involved, rope your work colleagues into a lunchtime stroll, or use it as a bit of time to relax and unwind. Complete the challenge your way – all we ask is you have fun! If you’re interested, you can sign up here!
Mother's Day
While we look forward to May, there’s another month that I want to mention. A few weeks ago, many of us celebrated Mother’s Day, but March can be a very difficult for some of our Scotty members who have experienced the death of their mum. Shops are full of Mother’s Day cards and gifts, which can be really tough. People often assume that all our members are bereaved of their dad, but this isn’t the case. At times like this, and other dates like birthdays and anniversaries, it’s really important to be aware that not everyone will be able to celebrate. One careless comment can have a big impact, especially for a child. Remember, we never know what someone else might be going through.
Scotty's Ball 2023
Finally, tickets for this year’s Scotty Ball are now live! Join us at Chesford Grange Hotel in Warwick on the 28th October for a night of glitz, glamour and fundraising for bereaved military children and young people. It’s a fantastic evening of entertainment, food, games, raffles, auctions and much more. And the best bit? Every penny raised goes towards offering Scotty’s members the very best support.
If you’d like to be one of this year’s attendees, you can get your tickets here!
Take care,
Nikki
