"Barry Martin Day 2026 was more than a launch, more than a commemoration, and more than a date in the calendar.

 

As we approached this day, we knew it would be something very different.

The hardest part was keeping Barry the Brave and Bazza Bear a secret from the world. Until the launch, we did not share them with anyone. Where it was necessary to share them during the final stages, it was under strict embargo.

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When we first met Bazza Bear over six months ago, we knew immediately that we had got this right. He was here. He was real. He represented everything we  hoped for in this journey. We fell in love with him from the very beginning. He became more than an idea; he became a character, embodying everything we wanted children to find in a companion, kindness, courage, comfort and hope.

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Creating Barry the Brave was a long and  complex journey. There were repeated trauma triggers throughout the writing process, making it essential to step away at times and allowing space to protect the wellbeing of our family. I can only say how remarkable Oliver and Daniel have been. Not once did I see them hesitate in telling this story. Instead, I saw quiet determination, resolve and integrity. They wanted to do this, and I found them utterly inspiring.

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The day Barry the Brave finally arrived in our hands was an emotional one. It represented the culmination of an idea that had begun long before, a storyboard first shared with BBC Scotland in early 2025, and conversations about one day writing a book that had existed since Barry's death.

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The roots of this story go back even further. After Barry was critically injured in January 2023, Oliver and Daniel began keeping a journal for him. We knew that if Barry had regained consciousness, his recovery would be a long one, and they wanted him to know everything they had experienced while he was away. They wanted him to remain part of their lives, wherever he was, and whatever lay ahead for us as a family.

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It was through those journals that I truly began to understand the power of writing from a child's perspective. It helped our children survive. It helped them process. Today, writing continues to be a source of expression, reflection and healing for our family, and we are incredibly grateful that something born from our deepest sadness has become a tool that we hope will help many other children too.

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To everyone who walked through the doors a few days ago and met the beautiful, mischievous and loving Bazza Bear, with his tartan scarf and his values of courage, and to everyone who held Barry the Brave in their hands for the very first time, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

 

Our children are surrounded by extraordinary love and support, and on that day they truly shone. I do not think there was a single moment when I did not see them smiling. Watching them share their father's story with such confidence, professionalism, kindness and compassion, is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

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This is only the beginning. We have already received many requests for Barry the Brave and Bazza Bear from members of the public, community organisations and public bodies. We will respond to every enquiry, and we are deeply grateful for each one. We simply ask for your patience as we take our first steps carefully, keeping our feet firmly on the ground while ensuring these resources reach the children and families who need them most.

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Finally, thank you.

 

Thank you for believing in Barry's legacy.

 

Thank you for believing in our boys and loving them too.

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Thank you for believing that kindness, courage and love can continue after traumatic and complex loss. 

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Oliver and Daniel set out with a simple hope when they were just eight years old, to help other children who find themselves walking a path they never chose. That hope has become a reality.

 

Barry may no longer be here to be able to walk beside them, but his values live on in the remarkable young gentlemen they are becoming. He is most definitely still parenting these endearing, talented and dignified children.

 

For that, and for the privilege of being their mum, I will be forever grateful.

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To my husband, you are the absolute love of my life. I cannot believe the honour and the gratitude I carry every day being your wife. If I can do you proud, then my life is a good and blessed one. Thank you for our children, and thank you for our life and love.

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With every day that passes, I know we are still writing that story through Oliver and Daniel, through Barry the Brave and Bazza Bear, and through every family we are able to help. Your legacy is not behind us. It walks beside us.

 

With love and thanks to all,

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— Shelley Martin"

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July 2026

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