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Aberdeen’s Sports Awards 2023: ‘We didn’t want any other family to go through this’ – Grampian Ladies FC’s Kelsey Seivwright on fundraising in her sister’s memory

Grampian Ladies midfielder Kelsey Seivwright has been nominated for an Aberdeen's Sports Award. Image: Alex Todd/SportPix.
Grampian Ladies midfielder Kelsey Seivwright has been nominated for an Aberdeen's Sports Award. Image: Alex Todd/SportPix.

Grampian Ladies FC midfielder Kelsey Seivwright has been nominated for the 2023 Aberdeen’s Sports Awards’ Inspiration award.

Kelsey’s six-year-old sister Kacey died after taking ill at an after-school club in Aberdeen, in August 2021.

The Seivwright family set up a fundraiser in Kacey’s memory just days after her death, and went on to raise more than £50,000.

Their aim was to raise money to make sure all 60 primary and secondary schools in Aberdeen had a defibrillator, which the Seivwrights made happen earlier this year.

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high-energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest.

Prior to the Seivwrights’ fundraising efforts, only seven schools in the Granite City had access to the potentially life-saving device.

A fundraising effort was launched in memory of Kacey Seivwright. Image: Raymond Seivwright.

Kelsey, 16, played an important role in the fundraising efforts as she raised money through an activity that her and Kacey used to do together – bracelet-making.

She also organised a fundraising day which involved a barbecue and a bouncy castle, as Kelsey wanted people to have fun and remember the happy times.

“We set up the fundraiser for the defibrillators because we didn’t want any other family to go through this – what we had to go through,” Kelsey explained.

“I was really close with my little sister, we used to make bracelets together.

“I decided one day to make one with her name on it – and then I started making them for other people and my family.

One of the bracelets that Kelsey made to raise money in memory of her sister Kacey. Image: Kelsey Seivwright.

“Someone told me I should start selling them, so I did and it helped raise money.

“When we raised the money and got the defibs put in all the schools, it was good because we knew that it could help stop this happening to other people.”

Volunteering efforts and playing with Grampian Ladies

Since Kacey’s death, Kelsey has dedicated so much time to helping others and currently volunteers with StreetSport Aberdeen and is a football coach at Lochside Academy.

She recently achieved her 50-hours volunteering certificate.

“I really like volunteering,” Kelsey said. “It makes me feel good to help others and help the little ones at StreetSport make friends.

“I help coach the junior team at Lochside and last week we reached the national finals.”

Kelsey Seivwright pictured scoring for Grampian Ladies. Image: Alex Todd/SportPix.

Kelsey returned to playing football with Grampian Ladies and Girls earlier this year, after taking six months out of the game after Kacey died.

The talented midfielder captains Grampian’s under-18s team and regularly features for their senior squad who play in SWF League One.

She was voted as SWF League One’s player of the month on Twitter earlier this season and is currently the team’s joint-top goalscorer, with six league goals.

But for Kelsey playing for Grampian is about more than just the football, as she describes her teammates as being like family.

“I was ready to go back playing football,” Kelsey said. “I had really missed it and I’m doing better at it now than I was before.

“I’ve got to go back playing with my teammates, who are basically like my family.

“Grampian helped with our fundraising as well and I knew that the club would always be there for me because we’re such a close team.”

Aberdeen’s Sports Awards 2023

The 2023 edition of Aberdeen’s Sports Awards, the annual celebration of Granite City sporting success, will take place at P&J Live on Thursday March 23.

Entries remain open for the range of categories – from Sports Achiever of the Year and Club of the Year to coaching, volunteering and community sports project prizes – until January 6.

To enter an individual or organisation for any of the categories, visit: www.dctevents.com/event/aberdeensportsawards

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