A YOUNG Highland dancer from Banffshire is to dance her way through the alphabet to raise money to support local babies and children in the North-east.
Madison Reid (9) is hoping her fundraising challenge will be easy as ABC as she works her way around villages, towns and cities from A to Z, performing an hour-long dance routine in each location.
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The challenge will start in Aberchirder this weekend and Madison hopes to take in locations from Banff and Cullen through to Ythanbank and Zoar (near Forfar) by the end of the summer holidays.
D will be made extra-special with a visit to Disneyland Paris to celebrate her 10th birthday in May – and the chance to dance in front of the iconic Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.
Madison, who attends Ordiquhill School in Cornhill, Banff, will be joined by some of her dancing friends at several of the locations, dressed in full Highland dance costumes.
She has even choreographed her own dance to recent hit Heather on the Hill by Nathan Evans, with the help of friend and dancer Charlie Joss (17).
Madison is being supported by her parents, Vicky and Colin Reid, and younger sister Esmay (4).
Mum Vicky said: “Madison has been dancing since she was four and she loves attending the Mary Aitken School of Dance in Turriff. She got the idea for a fundraising challenge from TikTok but we have chosen local villages and towns to visit.
“We have managed to find somewhere for each letter apart from X, so we’ll either do an X marks the spot or a Saltire flag! She’s so excited and also can’t wait to perform the dance she has choreographed with Charlie’s help.
“Madison is a caring and mothering child and always tries to help others so this is very typical of her to want to raise money for The Archie Foundation. She has set a target of £500 but we hope to raise as much as possible.”
Madison learned about the work of The Archie Foundation when she was an outpatient at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, having attended for numerous appointments and x-rays of her joints.
“Exercise and movement helps Madison so dancing is perfect for her. We are very proud of her commitment to helping other children at the same time,” added Vicky.
All the money raised will go to the Archie Foundation, the hospital’s official charity. It exists to transform experiences and outcomes in healthcare by offering financial and bereavement support for families across the North of Scotland, including Aberdeen, Elgin, Inverness and Dundee.
It also helps with specialist training, securing equipment and sourcing hospital accommodation for families in need.
The charity’s vision is that all children in the region will have equal access to world-class healthcare and bereavement support, delivered in a child-appropriate environment and manner.
Cassie McGunnigle, fundraising manager at The Archie Foundation, said: “We love to hear about unusual fundraising challenges and Madison’s dancing through the alphabet is a brilliant way to raise funds for the babies and children we support at Archie, while having great fun with her friends.
“The money raised will go directly to funding our services, which are crucial for families in times of need. We wish Madison lots of luck on her tour around the North-east of Scotland and can’t wait to follow her progress!”
For more information on The Archie Foundation’s work, visit: https://archie.org
To donate to Madison’s fundraiser, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/madison-reid-alphabet-highland-dance
