That’s one small step
for an eight-year-old girl — but one giant leap for
our campaign
 The wee girl who has symbolised this campaign was finally inside the desperately-needed hospice
she has done so much to bring about.
That signalled CHAS taking possession of the building and nothing could have been more fitting. Robyn is what this place
is all about.
It was a dreary, rainy day on Loch Lomondside, but no-one really cared — there were smiles enough to brighten any day.
Robyn’s mum and dad, Sylvia and Gilbert, pushed their daughter up to the front door of the hospice and, with next to no ceremony, they went inside.
With one small step, the whole campaign was worthwhile. Mission accomplished.
The Wattersons quickly followed Robyn inside along with CHAS chief executive Agnes Malone and the new hospice’s head of care Margaret Robertson.
Moment
It was a moment they had all dreamed about but sometimes feared they would not see together.
“It was a strange morning, really quite emotional,” said Margaret. “Seeing Gilbert, Sylvia and Robyn go into the house was fantastic.
“It meant everything we had worked and planned for had become reality.
“But also, there were times we doubted Robyn would make it to today — that was why it was so moving that she was here to cross that threshold.
“Things will move quickly now. The care team has been selected and now we have to bond them together.
“The first families will hopefully move in at the end of July.
“Sylvia, Gilbert and Robyn will be among them.
“Before then, we will have tours around Robin House to let those who have supported us — an amazing 20,000 have been invited — see what their money has bought. It is important we do it then because once the families
are here, I want to be able to close the door and let them enjoy it.
“We’ll be at full capacity by the beginning of 2006. I am so excited at the prospect.”
Tears
For Agnes Malone, the sight of Robyn going into the hospice was just too much. Quiet tears were wiped away, but nothing could remove the smile from her face.
“This has been such a long road. No building project goes without problems but this has been the biggest challenge I’ve ever been involved with.
“But what was at the end of the road has made it all worthwhile.
“I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to see this day and for Robyn to be here. We’ve had some scary moments with her, but it’s always been my dream for her to see this finished.
“I want to say a huge thank you to Gilbert and Sylvia for what they have done. They have always been there when we’ve needed them, even when the weather has been as awful as it is today.
“I sometimes wonder what it would have meant to Gilbert and Sylvia if this day had come and
Robyn wasn’t there. It would have been terrible.
“If I had known it would have taken this long then I would have had great reservations about asking any one family to front
this appeal. It would have been asking so much.
“We owe so much to them, but also to The Sunday Post. The paper, its staff and readers have been absolutely fantastic.
Campaign
“For a newspaper to back a campaign for four years is almost unheard of and it has been amazing.
“It’s been a great experience for me working alongside The Sunday Post and I want to say thank you to the staff for their sensitivity towards the families and their needs.
“A huge thank you too to all your readers for what they have contributed and continue to contribute. They have been amazing.
“The two hospices will cost £5 million to run every year, we’ll need help for some time to come.
“Thanks to all of Scotland. This is their hospice.”
No-one knows the importance of that more than Gilbert and Sylvia.
They fully understand just how much this place will mean to the families who urgently need the extra capacity it will provide.
On a very personal level too, they have reached a milestone.
“I was so nervous and excited this morning,” said Sylvia laughing and fighting back tears at the same time. “I’ve been giggling non-stop. It’s wonderful.
“I think it will only be when we get home and Robyn goes to bed tonight that it’ll really hit us that we have done it. The hospice
has really been built.”
Emotion
“It has been six long years and a lot of emotion has built up,” agreed Gilbert.
“There’s a sudden realisation. We have been chasing this for all those years, but there’s a disbelief that it’s finally here.
“There’s a great feeling that Scotland has listened to its own. This is a product of hard work by so many people.”
It was the first time the Wattersons had ventured inside Robin House, despite regular trips to see the external progress of the building.
They were struck by the size of the place. Gilbert said he’d been lost three times in five minutes!
Their delight at seeing the hospice open was obvious and they even allowed themselves a touch of pride at their own contribution and especially that
of their daughter.
“Robyn’s purpose has been pretty obvious,” said Gilbert.
“This has clearly been the right thing to do.
“She’s been so happy today, being here and at the centre of attention. She loved it.
“It’s been long and fraught at times, but I always knew we’d get there.
Superstars
“This couldn’t have been done without the help of Scotland’s superstars, like Ewan McGregor and Sharleen Spiteri, but also we couldn’t have managed without the people who scraped up fivers or kids who gave their pocket money.
“A woman in her 90s that I didn’t know, gave me £200 in cash for the hospice even though I could see she only had one bar on her wee electric fire. These contributions meant even more.”
There was never any danger in anybody forgetting what the day was all about, but one remark by Gilbert summed it all up — the hard work, the purpose, the
reality and the future.
“We’re nearing the end of Robyn’s life — we aren’t kidding ourselves about that — but it’s
the start of things for Robin House.
“It’s the beginning of something special.”
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You can e-mail us at:
hospice@sundaypost.com
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Sylvia, Robyn, Gilbert and gran, also Sylvia, just about to cross
the threshold of Robin House.
