Frightened Rabbit singer’s charity to fight mental illness

One year on from the tragic death of Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison, his family have launched a charity in his memory.

Scott Hutchison, whose family have set up the Tiny Changes charity to honour him.

“Tiny Changes” - which takes its name from a lyric from the Frightened Rabbit song ‘Head Rolls Off (‘While I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to Earth’) - aims to improve mental health in children and young people across Scotland.

Hutchison, 36, from the Scottish indie rock band, had often spoken about his own mental health issues and had supported a range of mental health causes throughout his life.

He was last seen on 9 May 2018 leaving the Dakota Hotel in South Queensferry.

His body was found at nearby Port Edgar the following day.

Fellow band members, who included his brother Grant, posted a message on Twitter following his disappearance, saying: “We are worried about Scott, who has been missing for a while now. He may be in a fragile state and may not be making the best decisions for himself right now.”

Yesterday, at the launch of Tiny Changes, Hutchison’s parents Ron and Marion and his brothers Grant and Neil released a statement paying tribute to him and his legacy.

“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 which should be continued and nourished.

“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.”

Statistics show that 20 per cent of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year.

Suicide is the largest cause of mortality for young people under the age of 35.