Greater than a decade in the past Stirling teenager Eilidh Brown spoke of her dream to assist kids and households battling with most cancers.
It's a battle she herself sadly misplaced not lengthy afterwards.
This week, nevertheless, her mother and father Gordon and Nicole unveiled the realisation of Eilidh’s dream - a vacation residence within the Stirling space, designed to supply some respite and high quality time for younger folks and their households.
And so they expressed their heartfelt because of the folks of Stirling who helped to show the dream right into a actuality.
In 2010 Gordon advised the Observer they weren’t positive in the event that they’d handle to boost a penny however they needed to strive, including: “I believe that’s as a result of that is so private to us that if we failed it might like failing Eilidh and that be an excessive amount of to bear.
“We have now a whole lot of good family and friends supporting us, however the one means that is going to work is that if the folks of Stirling get behind us.”
And get behind them they did.
The household arrange the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund in 2011 and since then, and with the assistance of 4 volunteers, the Stirling neighborhood has helped them elevate greater than £600,000 to construct the gorgeous open plan residence with a panaromic window profiting from gorgeous and peaceable countryside views.
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Land was earmarked for the house in a picturesque setting close to Thornhill, on land generously donated by farmers William and Vicky Ferguson, of Munnieston Farm, who realized concerning the enchantment via the Stirling Observer, with the constructing itself designed by Ally and John Croll.
The household mentioned the contribution of all 4 had been overwhelming - and that so many extra folks may very well be happy with their position.
“A number of years in I mentioned, that is Stirling’s charity,” mentioned Nicole. “Folks went out and did bake gross sales, marathons, 10ks, made jam, you title it. The best way everybody obtained behind this was greater than we may have ever imagined.”
There isn't a query her household would raze the painstakingly and lovingly created residence to the bottom if that had been to deliver Eilidh again to them.
However regardless of their understandably combined feelings, they're proud but humbled to have achieved such a legacy for Eilidh and eternally grateful to everybody who helped to realize it.
“There’s greatness and sweetness right here,” mentioned Gordon. “At present is for different folks to see what they've performed. It’s superb.”
“It’s good for folks to see it and for us to see their response,” mentioned Nicole. “The folks of Stirling might be actually happy with this home as a result of it's right here due to them.”
As spectacular because the constructing itself is, it’s the little touches and the thought put into it which makes it particular, whether or not it’s the quiet areas and peaceable views, or the video games room with it’s desk hockey and pinball machine.
Gordon mentioned: “We have now tried to have one thing of Eilidh in all places, however not in a means that’s apparent.
“The fact is a toddler died for this to occur, however we don’t need households to think about that. We would like them to really feel it’s a spot to get pleasure from, the place they will look ahead, really feel hope and revel in time as a household.”
There are touches like a backsplash within the kitchen that includes Eilidh’s signature. But it surely’s the skylights and huge home windows that particularly remind Nicole of her daughter.
“The home windows are positively Eilidh. When she was going via chemo and she or he would generally really feel panic she would lie and lookup on the stars and the moon they usually helped her really feel calm once more.
“However I additionally love you could hear folks enjoying and having enjoyable within the video games room.”
Considering what Eilidh would have considered the home and all the hassle that has made it doable, Gordon and Nicole give a heartbreaking smile as they so clearly think about her response.
“For folks to have performed this in her title, she would say ‘what’s all of the fuss about’,” mentioned Gordon. “She was very humble. She would find it irresistible although. She can be happy with the home.
“A trainer introduced her one thing when she was going via her therapy and she or he couldn’t perceive why they had been making a lot fuss of her. She was introduced as much as be humble, there have been no airs and graces. I suppose there’s a sure Scottishness in that - simply that nobody is healthier than anybody else and you're no higher than the man subsequent door, however you're nearly as good as and no higher.”
“That is what I envisaged,” mentioned Nicole. “It’s a love story this home. Constructed with love. For the love of Eilidh.”