VIDEO: Jo Laidlaw
Every day in the UK 15 babies die before, during or soon after birth.
And knowing the pain and devastation that brings a family, Graeme Murray wanted to do something to honour his late niece, while raising money and awareness of a lifeline charity with a regional base.
So Graeme and 143 of his farmer friends jumped on their tractors last weekend and took part in a charity tractor run to raise money for stillbirth and neonatal charity, Sands Dumfries and Galloway.
In December 2013, Graeme’s sister Alison Carruthers and her husband Kenny lost their daughter Bethany during birth.
Graeme said: “The death of a baby is a devastating experience and unfortunately suffered by my family when my niece, was stillborn.
“Dumfries and Galloway Sands are a voluntary group of parents who have all experienced the death of baby.
“The group have trained befrienders who support bereaved families and in the darkest days following Bethany’s death, the charity were a lifeline for Ali and Kenny.”
“Myself and my partner Sheila decided in January to organise this amazing fundraiser in aid of Sands.
“As I am a service manager at a local John Deere Tractor dealer, I thought what better way than gathering all the local farmers and holding a charity tractor road run.”
A total of 143 vehicles took part in the run, following a route from Wamphary Glen and into the surrounding area before heading back to Lockerbie Lorry Park for lunch, raising £4800 for charity.
There is still time to donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lockerbietractorroadrun
