A 15-month-old girl is climbing steps every day in March in memory of her Munro bagging grandpa. Callie Murphy, of Battlefield, Glasgow, is taking on the charity challenge to raise funds for Braemar Mountain Rescue and the Chris Lewis Support Fund..
Her grandfather, Jim Robertson, who she never got to meet, went missing in the Cairngorms while walking solo in March 2016.
The body of Jim, from Cathcart, also Glasgow, was found two months later by mountain rescue volunteers in Creag a’choire Etchachan.
It’s thought the dad-of-two suffered an accident. He was only days short of his 61st birthday on March 4.
Since his death, Jim’s family have raised money for Mountain Rescue Teams in the area.
Callie’s Wee Climb
Due to Covid lockdown, Callie’s family, including mum Lynn Robertson and dad John Murphy, came up with the idea for the toddler to climb the 48 steps in her tenement stairwell each day in March.
Lynn said: “Every year, to mark the anniversary of dad’s death and celebrate his birthday, we go out for a big family meal and I take part in some sort of sponsored walk or organised event.
“This year, of course, we can’t do either because of the restrictions. So, I was just trying to think of something that I could do during lockdown.
“John, Callie and I were supposed to do the Supernova 5K last year (before it got cancelled) and I was really excited about it being Callie’s first event. So it’s even more special now that the challenge is all hers.”
Support for MRT
Braemar Mountain Rescue and the Chris Lewis Support Fund are close to Lynn’s heart. She said: “Dad loved hillwalking and went on trips as often as he could. We had a big surprise family celebration for him in Torridon when he completed his last Munro.
“I miss my dad deeply, every day, as does my brother Paul, and in a whole new way since having a child of my own. It weighs heavy on my heart that he never got to meet Callie as he would have loved being a grandpa.
“It’s difficult to express what I feel about the rescue volunteers. They are incredibly dedicated, selfless people and the job that they do is invaluable.
“For all they did for my dad and my family, fundraising is the very least I can do.”
Over the years, the family has raised £17,500 in memory of Jim. So far, Callie’s Wee Climb has raised £1170. See JustGiving to support this cause.