Edinburgh-born weather presenter Judith Ralston backs cycle ride in memory of her inspiring music teacher

Judith Ralston went to Edinburgh’s St Augustine’s High School and went on to become a professional opera singer

BBC weather presenter Judith Ralston has given her support to a friend who is cycling from Land’s End to John o’ Groats to raise money in memory of his mother, who was an Edinburgh teacher and well-known musician.

Fiona Cantlay taught Judith music at the Capital’s St Augustine High School in the 1980s, as well as singing in various choirs, including Schola Cantorum. She died in 2008, being cared for her, in her last days, at St Columba’s Hospice. Now her son, Rod Cantlay, is pedalling the length of Britain, to help raise funds for the hospice.

And Judith, who was born and brought up in Edinburgh but now lives in Glasgow, went to South Queensferry to meet him up with him. “Rod is a very old friend of mine,” she said. “I went to St Augustine's and Rod went to Boroughmuir, but we played in school orchestras together. We became very close as friends – we're like family to each other now. I'm ever so proud of him doing this.”

Old friends Rod Cantlay and Judith Ralston meet up in South Queensferry. He is cycling from Land's End to John o' Groats to raise money in memory of his mother who taught Judith music at Edinburgh's St Augustine's High School.

Judith went on from St Augustine’s to study music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and became a professional opera singer, singing with Scottish Opera among others. But she had to give it up in the 1990s after a vocal injury.

She said Mrs Cantlay had been an inspiring teacher. “She taught at St Augustine’s and later at Heriot's. She was well-known on the music scene in Edinburgh. She worked in the St Columba's charity shop as a volunteer and then sadly she ended up in the hospice herself.

"I remember she played for me when I was singing and said 'You have the most beautiful voice' and she gave me a lot of confidence. She used to give me some singing teaching and really encourage me and she would get tickets for concerts and things for me. She kept my love of music going through school. The whole St Augustine's music department was great. I’m very proud to have come from a comprehensive school and study music and then become a professional opera singer.”

Rod, who now lives in Spain, is a keen cyclist but has never taken on such a big challenge before. He has done nine months’ training for it, five days a week. He is aiming to raise £3,500 for St Columba’s and has a JustGiving page. He said: “Mum spent her last few days in St Columba's. It was amazing to see the tenderness and the level of care that the staff at the hospice provided.

“So as this is one of those bucket-list rides, I thought I would try and raise some money for them and I'm happy to say we're 67 per cent there. It's going really well much better than I thought it would. The first two days were gruesome, but this is day seven - three to go and I'm going to make it, so hopefully some more sponsorship and there we are.”