Family and friends of Dearham's Finley Abbott take part in memory walk

Finley Abbott died suddenly aged 21 at his home in Dearham on Christmas Eve 2023. His family said there were no warning signs, saying Finley was the happiest he had been ‘for a very long time’.

Following his death, Finley’s mother has tried to raise awareness for ADHD, which she feels had a major impact on her Finley throughout his life.

On Saturday, September 21 over a hundred of the young man’s friends and family carried took park in a memory walk to celebrate what would have been his 22nd birthday the following day.

The walk began at Jack’s Surf Bar in Allonby, before heading to the Blue Dial Caravan Park at Allonby, onto Finley’s grave at Maryport Cemetery, and finishing at Finley’s local The Lifeboat Inn, Maryport.

Erica with some of her friends on the walk. (Image: Supplied)

Erica Galletly, Finley’s mum, said the atmosphere throughout the day was ‘just absolutely fantastic’ with the team raising over £2,000 to date.

“It was overwhelming, very emotional, because it was our first birthday without Finley the day after, that’s why we wanted to do the memory walk," she said.

“The atmosphere was just brilliant from when we set off until we finished. The Lifeboat was chock-a-block inside and out with everyone celebrating Finley’s walk and his birthday. I was touched by it.

Erica Galletly and Andy Airey from Three Dad's Walking. (Image: Supplied)

“I really appreciated everybody taking the time out to come and do Finley’s memory walk. There were people joining the walk who didn’t even know Finley.”

Erica hopes to ‘stop the stigma’ around people with ADHD in memory of her adored son, who was ‘loving, full of hugs’ and described by his mother as ‘my life’.

She said: “There is still a stigma around people with ADHD and this is what I’m trying to get across. They shouldn’t be any different, our kids shouldn’t be isolated because they have got ADHD."

The memory walk stopped at the Moody Cow in Allonby where a slideshow of pictures of Finley was shown. (Image: Supplied)

Erica thanked Paul Williamson from Firpress for the banner, as well as the many businesses who donated raffle prizes to raise funds and all those who have donated to the fundraising page in memory of her beloved son.

She said: “My friends have been behind me all the way. They have helped me a great deal with everything.”