Debbie Magee, a 48-year-old contracts manager from Broxburn, West Lothian, has signed up for Alzheimer Scotland's Edinburgh Memory Walk to raise funds for dementia research and support in memory of her mother, Rosie, who passed away in January at the age of 82, six years after being diagnosed with vascular dementia.
Event details
The Memory Walk will take place on Sunday, September 6, at Lauriston Castle Gardens on Cramond Road South. Participants can walk in memory of loved ones affected by dementia while raising vital funds for care, research, and brain health improvements.
Debbie will be joined by her sister Annie and her 15-year-old daughter Jess, with her other sisters Caroline and Jane providing support on the day. Their team is named “Rosie’s Forget Me Nots,” after her mother’s favourite flowers.
Personal motivation
Debbie said: “My mum Rosie was quite a woman. She was the heart and soul of our family and was dedicated to looking after us all. Losing mum to dementia was really tough for the whole family, and it inspired me to sign up to do the Memory Walk.”
She added: “I wanted to do something positive that would help keep mum’s memory alive and also raise funds for such a great cause. I’m really looking forward to the day.”
Series of walks across Scotland
The Edinburgh event is the first in a series of Memory Walks taking place across Scotland in 2026, with additional walks planned in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Perth, Irvine, Inverness, and Kirkcaldy. Tickets cost £10 for adults, and children can register for free. Sponsorship pages can be set up easily and shared with family and friends.
All funds raised will help people with dementia and their carers, as well as supporting better brain health across Scotland. The walk also celebrates the lives of people living with dementia.
Charity’s gratitude
Lauren Heap, Alzheimer Scotland’s Day Services Manager for Edinburgh and the Lothians, said: “Alzheimer Scotland is proud to support people living with dementia, their families and carers right from our centres in Edinburgh. We are delighted to host this Memory Walk in Edinburgh. It is such a special event and it will be wonderful to walk alongside our supporters again in the local community.”
Heap added: “Alzheimer Scotland relies heavily on fundraised money – now more than ever – and every penny helps us continue to develop and deliver vital dementia support. We can’t wait to see Lauriston Castle Gardens filled with a sea of purple t-shirts.”
For more information or to sign up, visit memorywalk.alzscot.org.
