Davie Cooper Centre - It Makes A Difference

[chilledbear 16]

http://local.stv.tv/glasgow/magazine/196723-davie-cooper-centre-inspires-little-boy-to-make-a-big-difference/

 

 

When a chimney fire broke out in their home in November 2010, the Shearer family lost everything they owned.

 

Colin Shearer escaped from the blaze with young sons Euan and Alastair, carrying them to safety amidst the chaos of smoke and sirens.

 

All the family could do was watch as their home and its contents were consumed by flames, leaving them with nothing.

 

â??We lost everything in the house - all our possessions, and we had to move into temporary homeless accommodation,â? said Colin.

 

â??Euan was four at the time and old enough to see what was going on.

 

â??He was traumatised. He lost all sense of himself. It took a lot of care and attention to bring him back.â?

 

Haunted by memories of the fire and unsettled by moving from place to place, Euan struggled to cope in the weeks following the incident. It took turning his attention to helping others and the support of his family to get the little boy back on his feet.

 

Raising money for the Davie Cooper Centre, a charity based in Clydebank, is the shared focus that managed to help Euan and his family recover from their ordeal.

 

The generous little boy, now aged six and back to his cheery self, is about to embark on a charity walk up the Clyde to raise money for the organisation.

 

â??We started fundraising a couple of years ago when we lost everything,â? said Colin.

 

â??We had to move three or four times before we got settled. The people at the Davie Cooper Centre were really kind to us and we built up a friendship with them in the weeks after the fire happened.

 

â??They were really kind to Euan and gave him fun and friendship. We thought as a family it would be something good to focus on to start fundraising for them.â?

 

The Davie Cooper Centre is named after the late legendary Scottish footballer, and its high-profile patrons include Walter Smith MBE and Alistair McCoist MBE.

 

The charity, founded in 2005, exists to help children with special needs. It aims to provide play and learning facilities for children with disabilities and respite for the people who take care of them.

 

The charity own a plot of land in Clydebank, which was initially intended as the site for a Davie Cooper memorial stadium.

 

The site will now be built upon in Davie's name to provide valuable services for children with special needs.

 

In keeping with Euan's passion for football and love of helping others, the little boy has raised nearly £8,000 for the charity to date with the help of friends and family - selling bracelets and also holding online auctions of signed football memorabilia.

 

His charity walk - Walk With Euan 2012 - aims to raise the remaining £2,000 the family need to reach their total of £10,000.

 

The money they raise will go towards helping the Davie Cooper Centre build their dream facility with indoor and outdoor play facilities, a short stay respite centre, a learning unit and sensory rooms.

 

The walk was scheduled to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Davie's landmark free kick for Rangers against Aberdeen in the 1987 League Cup Final, but had to be postponed to a couple of weeks later.

 

"Weâ??re walking along the Clyde because weâ??re doing it for Davie Cooper. To build a new playground and build the Davie Cooper Centre," said Euan.

 

"Iâ??m excited about it because Iâ??ll be at the very front and we're going to raise £10,000.

 

"I sold bracelets and we were doing lots of work, and last time we had to walk round Ibrox with a banner."

 

Charity fundraising has been a welcome distraction from the hardship the Shearer family has suffered, and has allowed Euan to re-build his life again after his traumatic experience.

 

He is now happiest playing football, going to Beavers and raising money for worthy causes with his Dad.

 

"For a wee boy to understand that thereâ??s people less fortunate than himself, and to then give so much to them, is amazing," said Jackie McDonald, director of the Davie Cooper Centre.

 

"The family could have easily lost their lives by all accounts. They came away with nothing and had to start from scratch, but they still give to others.

 

"We formed a close relationship with the family and Euan got involved, which was just fabulous. What the wee manâ??s doing is just amazing, he's not only raising money but raising awareness, which is really beneficial for us."

 

Walk With Euan 2012 takes place on Saturday, November 10, beginning at the SECC. A crowd of supporters, led by Euan, will walk 5km walk up the Clyde to Glasgow Green and back again.

 

Euan will be joined by footballers such as Bobby Russell, members of the Davie Cooper Centre and supporters of the charity.

 

All sponsorship for the walk and donations towards the centre are welcome, and can be given by donating on Euan's Just Giving page.

 

To learn more about the Davie Cooper Centre, visit their website