The family of former Frightened Rabbit lead singer Scott Hutchison have launched a mental health charity one year on from his death.
His body was found at Port Edgar near South Queensferry on May 10 last year after he took his own life.
Brothers Neil and Grant, also Scott’s bandmates, along with parents Ron and Marion have now launched the charity Tiny Changes which aims to raise awareness about mental health issues in children and young people.
Its name is a reference to a Frightened Rabbit lyric in the song Heads Roll Off, where Hutchison sings: “While I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to earth.”
A statement from his family said: “Mental health, and young people’s mental health in particular, was a cause close to Scott’s heart. He often spoke openly of his own struggles as an anxious child, even naming his band ‘Frightened Rabbit’ after a nickname given to him by his Mum.
“Tragically, the weight of his ill health became too great for him to carry as an adult.
“We want to continue the legacy that Scott built. To channel the energy he generated in people all over the world into positive action on mental health among young people and to make tiny changes to Earth.
“The charity has at its heart a passion for changing how young people in Scotland are affected by mental health issues.
“We want to see a Scotland where young people are listened to when they talk about their mental health. Where young people can access the support they need, when they need it. A country where young people are feeling better, not worse. And where youth mental health issues do not prevent people from fulfilling their potential as adults.”
Tiny Changes hopes to support and promote initiatives that help children and young people affected by mental health issues as well as their families and carers.
The statement also said: “Our beloved brother and son Scott Hutchison was born in Edinburgh in 1981. He took his own life in Queensferry in 2018. In those 36 and a half years, Scott’s impact was far reaching and felt by many people.
“Through his music and art he made many thousands of tiny changes and encouraged other people around the world to do the same.
“The honesty of his lyrics and openness about his own mental health inspired people in all walks of life. It is a legacy that should be continued and nourished.
“Since his sad death last year, the outpouring of grief from people that knew Scott has been overwhelming.
“Whether they knew him personally, through his music and art, or through the interviews he gave on deeply personal matters, so many people have been profoundly affected by Scott’s life.”
For more information, visit the Tiny Changes website.
