Charities get a 40% top-up from Sir Tom Hunter
More charities are being urged to get involved and grab a share of one of the country’s biggest fundraising events.
The call comes as the Kiltwalk revealed 1,300 Scottish charities will share £7m this year.
Some 25,000 people took part in this year’s events in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.
However Sir Tom Hunter, whose Hunter Foundation runs the Kiltwalk, said he wants hundreds more charities to sign up to get “free money” – a 40% top up on whatever they raise.
A total of £5 million in sponsorship was raised with a further £2 million donated by Hunter.
He said: “I can’t begin to describe how proud I am that we managed to attract 25,000 Kiltwalkers this year.
“The £5 million from the walkers and their families and friends plus our 40% top-up will make a tremendous difference to those in need. It’s a privilege to make that difference and we’re hoping this growing Kiltwalk movement will achieve even more next year.
“Although this year’s results are fantastic, our work doesn’t stop here. With 2020 approaching, I’d like to challenge even more people to join us next year and make an even bigger difference to the charities and causes they care about by donning a wee bit of tartan and taking a walk.”
Among the group who gathered at Radisson RED’s Sky Bar to celebrate the fundraising total, were several Scottish charities that have benefited from the £7 million raised, including the largest, Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity and one of the smallest, “Coats for Kids” from Renfrewshire.
Malcolm Buchanan of the Royal Bank of Scotland, one of the walks sponsors, said: “Royal Bank of Scotland is delighted to join forces with Arnold Clark to support the 2020 Kiltwalk.
“The Royal Bank has been a supporter of the Kiltwalk since the start and thousands of colleagues, their families and friends have given their time to take part in and volunteer each year to help make the events such a success.
“During the last five years Royal Bank of Scotland staff donned tartan and helped raise more than £1m for Scottish charities. This year the bank made the Kiltwalk a key part of our drive to raise £4.5m and give 100,000 of work time to good causes across the country.
“Whether in Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dumfries, colleagues and the communities they serve have taken the Kiltwalk to their hearts and we are pleased to continue to offer our support for another year.”
Eddie Hawthorne, CEO and group managing director of Arnold Clark, said: “We are extremely proud to be striding into our fifth year as Platinum sponsors of the Kiltwalk. This isn’t just a financial commitment for Arnold Clark as a business. Our employees, customers and directors love being involved – the Kiltwalk gives them a way to champion the causes that matter to them."
The event was recently named as the UK’s fifth biggest mass participation fundraising event.
