Helen Hyland, Fundraising Manager, ME Association.
The ME Association is proud to announce its first team of people walking to raise funds in Scotland’s Kiltwalk.
The Kiltwalk is now one of the UK’s largest mass participation events. It, or rather they, are due to take place in Scotland’s major cities – Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, and lastly Edinburgh – over the next five months.
Kiltwalks are popular with thousands of walkers and hugely supported by Scotlands STV and by some of the country’s biggest names and brands. Watch here to learn more.
It’s such a simple idea – put on a piece of tartan (or cover yourself from head to foot if you’d prefer) and walk the Wee Wander (6 miles), Big Stroll (15 miles) or Mighty Walk (22.6 miles) and raise funds for charity.
What makes this event different from all the other walking events is that it is supported by Scotland’s Hunter Foundation and all monies raised online will get a 40% boost.
This effectively means that 140% of everything raised goes to where it is needed most!
Glasgow: Team Alex's Angels
First to kick off this year are our Glasgow walkers. The biggest team will be 13 walkers in Alex’s Angels – named for the 9 year old granddaughter of one of the walkers, Sandra Gibson.
Sandra says that Alex has recently been diagnosed with M.E. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Alex’s mother has also lived with this awful illness for over 20 years!
Sandra said, “This has been very difficult for all of us to deal with. Alex was a very lively girl, same as her mum, and their lives have been taken away from them.”
“I find it extremely difficult to cope watching my daughter and granddaughter struggle every day with this debilitating illness which remains frowned upon.”
“We can only hope that one day there will be a cure and that by raising awareness the medical profession will take notice.”
Sandra has roped-in a team of wonderful colleagues and friends from RES Team, Glasgow Health Board including Gailes W & B, Claire, Pamela, and Tracey.
The Mighty Walk
Karen Cairns is taking the longer route – the Mighty Walk. She’s not looking to break any records – her plan is simply to start at 10.00am and hopes to be finished by teatime that night.
She felt inspired to tackle the full walk by Jenny McGibbon’s passion to both help herself, and others, particularly in her determination to raise awareness through her writing.
Karen said, “I have had the privilege of knowing Jenny McGibbon for the past few years. She is my son Ryan’s girlfriend.”
“During this time, I have had an insight into her daily struggles and how hard she has had to push herself to complete college and university and also just to be able to make plans and do every day things that most others her age take for granted.”
“Before meeting Jenny, I knew nothing about M.E. (to be honest I remember years back hearing it dismissed as ‘yuppie flu’. How insulting and ignorant!).”
“Hopefully by sharing my story with my friends and family on my fundraising page I am helping to raise awareness as well as funds.”
| Thank you to everyone who has signed up for the Kiltwalk. It promises to be the ME Association’s biggest fundraiser in Scotland this year. Our charity mascot Neo has been treated to a tartan lead so that he too will be properly dressed to welcome the Glasgow walkers at the finishing line on Sunday! |
The ME Association
Please support our vital work
We are a national charity working hard to make the UK a better place for people whose lives have been devastated by an often-misunderstood neurological disease.
If you would like to support our efforts – particularly during ME Awareness Week – and help ensure we can continue to inform, support, advocate and invest in biomedical research, then please donate today.
Just click the image opposite and visit our JustGiving page for one-off donations, to establish a regular payment or to create your own fundraising event.
Or why not join the ME Association as a member and be part of our growing community? For a monthly (or annual) subscription you will also receive our exclusive ME Essential magazine.
ME Association Registered Charity Number 801279