EXCLUSIVE: Unique job opportunity for Walker teen - One year after Aberdeen beach tragedy
The North East community continues to help following the deaths of Julie and Lucas Walker in 2016
Last updated 21st Aug 2017
A year after a mother and her young son died at Aberdeen beach - the North East community is still pulling out all the stops the help the family.
Julie Walker, 37, and her 6-year-old son Lucas died in hospital after an afternoon trip to Aberdeen beach ended in the family getting into difficulty.
Samuel Walker – who was 13 at the time - jumped into the water to try and rescue his mum and brother.
He was taken to hospital with injuries which he later recovered from.
A 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman also received medical treatment after trying to help get them out of the water.
Samuel and older brother Jordan Walker are now living with their Grandmother Lynne Dawson after moving out of their family home in Aberdeen. We’ve been catching up with Jordan, as we mark one year since that tragic day.
Thanks to our charity, Northsound Cash for Kids, along with the North East business community, the Dawson’s home was renovated back in November 2016, to make space for Jordan and Samuel.
Gran Lynne said: "The public have been wonderful. We're speechless, I can remember the day Michelle from Cash For Kids came in. The first time it was about our needs, and she saw that we needed space.
"She came back the second time after she had spoken to the board and she told us what Mike Naysmith was going to do and me and my husband burst out crying.
"We just didn't expect it, it's just been amazing."
Local homebuilders CALA homes converted the house to create two new bedrooms, while the family was put up in 4-star luxury at the Marcliffe. Glencraft also provided mattresses, while Sainsburys helped with furniture.
Now, Cala Homes is going one step further – offering 17 year old Jordan Walker an apprenticeship, a first for the firm in Aberdeen.
He started just over a month ago, and is telling Bekki Clark that although he still thinks of the day he lost his mum and brother, he’s moving forward.
Mike Naysmith from Cala Homes hopes employing Jordan will lead the way for an apprenticeship scheme for the company in the North East.
He said:
“Speaking to Jordan’s granny Lynne and to him himself, he was keen, well keen is an understatement – he wanted to become a joiner. But he was struggling to find anyone in Aberdeen city and Shire who was willing to take on an apprentice.
“We decided that we would make Jordan the first apprentice that we have in Aberdeen. We’ve been looking at this for a while but never actually worked out the best way to do it. Jordan is now working with some of our joiners on our site at Milltimber.
“The reports from site are all very positive. Everything we’ve heard about Jordan – he’s enthusiastic, he comes to work with a smile, he’s there on time. He’s doing what he’s asked, but he’s also using his own initiative and he’s keen to learn.”
In June it was announced a Fatal Accident Inquiry will not be held into the circumstances of the tragic accident. The family understands this decision, saying what happened is exactly that – an accident.
They want to build a memorial for Julie and Lucas, so there will always be somewhere to go and remember them. The family will mark the first anniversary in private this week.