After seeing the impact of his gran’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease, 11-year-old Euan Bruce was determined to step up and make a difference.
At the start of the year, the Insch schoolboy embarked upon a mammoth challenge to raise money for charity.
Euan set himself a target of running 300 miles over the course of 2020 – hoping to bring in a matching £300 for Alzheimer Scotland in the process.
And while he is only a little over two-thirds of the way towards reaching his goal in terms of distance, the youngster is “delighted” he has already raised more than £1,300.
Mum Julia said: “My mum was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s when she was 62, but she has deteriorated and now she is 67 and in hospital.
“Euan saw how it affected the whole family and his gran.
“At the end of last year he told me he wanted to do something to help, and came up with the whole idea himself.”
The regular runner – who has racked up a number of podium places at races throughout the region – has completed around 220 miles so far.
And he is well on course to reaching his target by his Hogmanay deadline.
He had been planning on entering a number of races and events over the summer but had to improvise with alternatives when these were called off amid the pandemic.
Euan said: “I really enjoy running and my mum set me weekly running challenges, and we had signed up for lots of different virtual runs during lockdown and the summer.
“It was hard sometimes running myself, as in races and training you have others to keep you going and cheer you on.”
The youngster is now back training with the Young Meldrum Runners, who are also encouraging him to put in the miles.
Mrs Bruce said: “He knows that the money he is raising won’t help his gran, but hopefully it will save others from going through the heartache we have.
“It’s amazing to think someone so young wants to do something like this, it’s really inspiring.
“I used to run myself, as did my mum, but I couldn’t do 300 miles.”
Euan’s online fundraiser can be found at: justgiving.com/fundraising/EuanBruce03