Armed Forces toddler set to climb Pen y Fan to help raise money for bereaved Forces children
“Mummy I want to climb a mountain."
Three-year-old, Alfie Rowbotham from Bicester in Oxfordshire, is packing his rucksack as he gets set to climb the highest peak in South Wales, Pen y Fan this weekend.
Alfie with Emily and Kythe
Inspired by every toddler’s hero, Fireman Sam, Alfie will be completing the 886-metre climb with his mum Emily and dad Kythe, all to help raise money for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that offers integral support to children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the Armed Forces.
As a Private based at St David’s Barracks in Bicester, Alfie’s dad, Kythe and his wife, Emily understand just how important a charity like Scotty’s is to the Forces community, so, when Alfie asked to climb a mountain, they decided to also help raise funds for a worthy cause.
Emily said: “I first came across Scotty’s Little Soldiers online, and just thought what a fantastic cause. Being part of the Forces community ourselves we know what a vital role the charity plays and how important it is to the families. If anything was to happen to Kythe I don’t know what I’d do but knowing that a support network like Scotty’s would be there to support Alfie is incredibly reassuring.
“Learning more and more about Scotty’s, I have been blown away by what they do for Forces children and young people. It's an amazing cause and we would love to raise money to help make a little difference if the worst should happen.”
Alfie and Kythe
Scotty’s Little Soldiers was set up in 2010 by war widow Nikki Scott. The charity offers integral support to children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the Armed Forces.
Nikki saw the devastating impact the death of her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, in 2009 had on their two young children and wanted to help others in the same situation.
The charity is currently providing assistance for hundreds of bereaved Forces children and young people around the UK and services offered include guidance to parents and carers, access to professional child bereavement support, personal education and learning assistance (including grants) and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone.
Alfie’s Pen y Fan climb takes place on Saturday (31st July). The family will be travelling to South Wales on Friday and setting up camp nearby ready for a big day on Saturday.
It will be Alfie’s first ever climb, but definitely won’t be his last.
Emily said: “The climb was all Alfie’s idea. He loves Fireman Sam and on one episode, Sam rescues someone from the top of the mountain. After watching the episode, he said, “mummy I want to climb a mountain.” I did quite a bit of research into the most child friendly mountain and Pen y Fan came up. Neither me nor Kythe have climbed it before so it will be an experience for all three of us.”
Scotty’s founder, Nikki said: “What an inspiring little guy Alfie is. I can’t thank Alfie, Emily and Kythe enough for raising money for Scotty’s. It’s always great to hear when families within the military community get involved in raising money and how much Scotty’s means to them. It’s because of fundraisers like Alfie and his family that we can continue to offer a high level of support to our members, who have experienced so much at such a young age. For our members, knowing that they are not alone is so important and every penny raised enables us to reassure them of that.”
