A grieving mother has turned personal tragedy into a heartfelt tribute, releasing a charity World Cup song in memory of her late son.

After losing her son, William, in 2022, Gail Gillon, 63, found comfort in writing as a way to process her grief. What began as a poem written for William’s eulogy soon evolved into a song, uncovering a passion for songwriting that has helped her navigate life after loss.

Now, with the support of musician and long-time friend Peter McAtamney from Carluke, Gail has released Hearts of Tartan, a charity single celebrating Scotland’s return to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

The song captures the excitement, pride and passion surrounding Scotland’s qualification, drawing inspiration from Scott McTominay’s spectacular overhead kick against Denmark that helped secure Steve Clarke’s side a place at the tournament.

Gail, who lives in Lanarkshire, said: “Four years ago, I lost my son in tragic circumstances. I wanted to write something meaningful for his eulogy, although at the time I wasn’t sure I could find the words.

“That poem later became a song, and through the process I discovered a genuine love of songwriting. It became a cathartic outlet for grief, reflection and emotion.

“More recently, I was inspired by the Scotland v Denmark game. I came across the phrase ‘an audacious overhead kick’ online and immediately thought it belonged in a song. It perfectly captured not only the moment itself but the passion and spirit of Scotland supporters.”

Gail said Peter was the natural choice to perform the track, thanks to his extensive musical background. She explained: “Peter has enjoyed an incredible career in music. Earlier in his life, he toured internationally after being recommended by The Prince’s Trust and performed alongside artists including R.E.M., Atomic Kitten, the Spice Girls and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics.

“As soon as I heard him sing, I knew he was the perfect voice for this song.”

All proceeds from Hearts of Tartan will be donated to Chris’s House, a Wishaw-based mental health charity.

Gail added: “The song is available on Bandcamp for just 87p, and every penny raised will go directly to Chris’s House.”

Hearts of Tartan is available now to download.