She may not have a big red suit or a sack full of gifts, but Jackie Bird has been channelling her inner Santa by delivering Christmas surprises to some of Scotland’s unsung heroes.
The broadcaster says it has been heartwarming to travel the country celebrating our everyday superstars.
Among those honoured in this year’s edition of the BBC awards show, Scotland’s People, is a fundraising teenager who is given a special driving lesson at Knockhill, an Inverness woman who has raised £100,000 for a hospice despite her own health issues, and the entire town of Aberfeldy, which has welcomed a number of displaced Ukrainian families.
“We are saying thank you to people who do so much for others, often without a thought for themselves,” Bird said. “Their stories are so inspiring and it is lovely at this time of year to acknowledge what they have done for their communities across Scotland.”
Perhaps none has been as far-reaching as the changes implemented through the work of Sandra and Gordon McKandie, from Elgin, who have worked tirelessly to ensure a defibrillator is now in every roads policing unit in the country. They lost their 16-year-old son, Keiran, in a mountain biking accident in 2016. The nearest ambulance was 38 miles away and the police car that arrived within minutes didn’t have the life-saving equipment. His parents set up a charity in his name, Keiran’s Legacy, to save as many lives as possible.
“Every fast response police vehicle now has a defib through Keiran’s Legacy,” said Sandra. “It was a hard undertaking but we never gave up. It’s a case of campaigning and pushing and chipping away.”
The charity has so far provided 220 defibrillators, saving nine lives. One of those survivors was at Glenlivet Estate in the Cairngorms National Park recently to see the McKandies being surprised with a Scotland’s People award and a touching honour in Keiran’s name.
Thinking they were there to be interviewed about the defibrillators for The Adventure Show, the couple were shocked when they were told a mountain bike trail in Keiran’s name would be developed and opened in the spring, with one of Keiran’s heroes, cyclist Danny MacAskill, promising to be the first to try it out.
“I can’t put into words what it means to us. It’s something we always wanted. What an amazing moment, but also a bittersweet one,” said Sandra.
“Keiran lived and breathed mountain biking and he thought Danny was amazing, so for him to be the first to ride down the track will really be very emotional.”
Sandra, a nurse with several years of experience in the resuscitation department of NHS Grampian, knows the important of defibs and how to use them, and that’s why the charity trains school leavers so they have the important life skill in order to help others.
“We want defibs in every school, and dual responding so that when there is an emergency, you get the nearest emergency service, all of which would have the kit on board.”
She added: “The charity is his legacy. It’s about Keiran. He is always at the forefront of our minds. He inspires us every day and our love for him is why we do what we do.”
Jackie Bird said: “The remarkable courage of Sandra and Gordon to save lives in the name of their son is something I will never forget. It was an honour to be a small part in helping them achieve a lasting tribute to Keiran and a privilege to meet such a selfless, kind couple.”
Scotland’s People 2022: A Thank You, Tuesday, BBC 1 Scotland, 8pm
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