Walk of Hope 2024 – Day 3 Edinburgh to Sutra Mains

It hailed as we arrived at the Scottish Parliament (Andy was in shorts). Fortunately it was a short-lived shower so it was dry as we set of on the road below Salisbury Crags. The first 5 miles were quiet, other than traffic – everybody was more intent o getting to work rather than talking to us.

We were taken aback just before we arrived in Dalkeith when a car stopped, the driver wound down the window and said, “I used to work with Sophie.” She was a nurse who worked alongside Sophie, Andy’s daughter, at the Western General Hospital – it was lovely to meet someone who knew Sophie well.

We stopped for coffee and a sit in the sun at Dalkeith and were overwhelmed with kindness. As we sat on our bench in the town centre person after person came up to us to offer encouragement, support and cash for our bucket. We also spoke to many people who were bereaved or touched by suicide – a privilege to listen and all a bit humbling.

We went onwards along the A68, vehicles beeped their horns as the went past, people waved, giving us the thumbs up and many stopped to put more cash in the bucket. Yet more kindness.

As we walked into Pathhead we were joined by a suicide-bereaved dad – we were the first dads win the same position that he had spoken to since losing his son 2 years earlier. We spoke about love, grief and our experiences since losing our girls; as he left us he told us that it felt like a little weight had been lifted.

We were welcomed at our end point, the House of Soutra Café, with open arms and were offered coffee & tea before going to our hosts in the evening.

A day when we have spoken to many people about grief and love, how grief changes over time and different ways to carry on living.

It was a day filled with kindness.