A CHARITY set up in memory of Moira Anderson will mark its 20th anniversary this year with a pledge to help even more survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

The Moira Anderson Foundation will celebrate the milestone by raising £200,000 to extend its premises in Airdrie.

The charity says the fundraising move is essential with more survivors requesting to use their service each year.

Glasgow Times:

Pictures Gordon Terris 

Founder Sandra Brown, above, said: “This is a cradle to grave problem. Our view is if you go through something like this, the sooner you get help the better.”

READ MORE: Emotional memorial marking 60 years since Coatbridge schoolgirl Moira Anderson vanished

Glasgow Times:

The charity was launched in 2000 with proceeds from a book called Where There is Evil written by former Glasgow Times Scotswoman of the Year Sandra.

Her father Alexander Gartshore was named in 2014 as Moira’s likely killer by then Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland QC. The Crown Office previously said he would have been arrested for her murder were he still alive.

Moira was just 11-years-old when she vanished on February 23, 1957. She was last seen on a bus driven by convicted paedophile Gartshore.

READ MORE: Moira Anderson: Police focus on canal in search for missing schoolgirl who disappeared 60 years ago

Glasgow Times:

Police searching for Moira's body

The case was treated by police as a missing person until eight years ago when it was upgraded to a murder investigation. Her remains have never been found and Police Scotland’s cold case unit continues to investigate her death.

Sandra said: “I wasn’t abused as a child but following conversations with my dad I discovered others were.

“I thought it must be possible to create something good out of something so negative.

“All the people who had been abused, there wasn’t any counselling available for any of them.

“I kept thinking nothing has happened to me but they all need support and it doesn’t seem to be out there.

“So in 2000, I set up the Moira Anderson Foundation and that has been 20 years.”

Glasgow Times:

Last year, the charity supported 515 people. When they started out in 2000, they were working with around 100 survivors.

In January, they received 72 referrals to the service - their highest number ever for one month.

The Moira Anderson Foundation uses counselling and therapy to help survivors. They also have specialist staff on site who are equipped to support those affected by childhood sexual abuse.

Glasgow Times:

Gillian Urquhart, who was the first member of staff to be employed by the charity and is now the director, said: “If there is something high profile in the media such as the abuse in football clubs, people generally phone up and say they are seeing it in the news and it is bringing it all back to them.

“We see people when they first come in who can’t look at you and make very little conversation. But as the weeks progress, it is in plain sight the changes that you see in people. It is just incredible.”

Glasgow Times:

Sandra added: “There has never been a better time to be believed. Maybe the Me Too Movement has something to do with it.

“Over the 20 years, what we have tried to do is help people this happened to. We can’t wave a magic wand and say this didn’t happen to you. We try and help with the healing. But we are also trying to get the message out there to be vigilant with your own children or grandchildren.”

The organisation will be hosting various fundraising events this year and you can also donate directly to them.

To get involved in helping the charity, visit https://moiraanderson.org/ for more information.