Tina Hendry was one of Scotland’s most vocal ACEs campaigners. She was talking about adverse childhood experiences long before there was a Scottish ACEs movement, and she had a massive impact on the spread of awareness of ACEs science across the country. We are honoured to share this celebration of the late Tina’s life and legacy, written by our Community Correspondent Laura McGlinn, along with the video tribute which Laura and other volunteers created for the recent Scotland’s ACEs Journey Gala event.
Like many people, I have a whole array of hats that I put on and take off in every given moment. On Saturday 21st June 2025 I attended the most remarkable event in Cumbernauld, Scotland’s ACEs Journey Gala Day which celebrated 20 years of awareness and creative action around ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences). This was hosted by the incredible Dr Suzanne Zeedyk pioneer of Connected Baby, a scientist in human connection and attachment.
I was there in several capacities – advocating and sharing ACES lived experience, a mindful photographer, a blogger for Mind Waves, a giver of a small gift from “The Mindful Charm”. My main hat was to launch a memorial of the late Tina Hendry who will be forever in my thoughts and my heart. Along with so many.
I had the opportunity to speak, no pressure at all. However, Whilst filming the audience and a beautiful and supportive introduction from Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, my whole nervous system broke down with the kindness and deafening applause in that room. Even now, it’s just so emotional thinking about it.
However, I thought I could use the Mind Waves blog to share what I wish I could have said to everyone in the room, who knew Tina or were influenced by her. I could feel her spirit, the support her children had been in the whole planning process of the memorial…
“First of all, I want to Thank You all for your time and support. I feel Tina’s energy as a friend, a mother, grandmother, and many different hats, including her world super hair bun in this room today. Her family would love to have been here, however they are grieving for their Nana, Tina’s Mum who just recently passed to join her. Where they get to meet again.
Tina was one of the strongest women I have ever met, bold and beautiful inside and out. I met her in Greenock on the second showing of documentary film Resilience on a dreich night. I had been investigating about some of the symptoms I was showing and insanely trying to find answers. I came across articles of psychiatric reports from America and it was just like I had plugged myself in for an electric charge. I now know that was neurotransmitters firing up my whole nervous system.
Then, wow! I watched the film and all I kept doing was squeezing my partner Paul’s had to indicate “OMG, this is me”. With all my strength I spoke up and the response was “me too, me too”. Attendees that evening spoke for hours at the end ,along with Vicky Mulholland, James Docherty (who at the time was with Beacon House in Greenock a Trauma training service). Later on I found out they had to pay extra because of the time we were there, and we had a £75 parking ticket, oops!
This was the start of my healing and advocacy work, for myself and others. Tina invited me into her world ,to share my lived experience. It was a bond that I will cherish forever. Tina, if you’re listening, I love you to the moon and back. Until we meet again my friend. Thank You. Even now you’re carving my next chapter being surrounded by this epic room of people and your legacy lives on. My life ring.”
Thank you so much to Laura for this touching tribute to Tina.
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