Forth Bridge abseil raises over £305k for 34 charities in one day
Charities have raised over £305,000 in one day as almost 600 people abseiled off Scotland’s best-loved landmark – the Forth Bridge Abseil.
Last month, participants took part in groups throughout the day, abseiling 165 feet from the bridge onto the sandy beach below, on what was the 20th anniversary of the iconic event.
The event is run by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, in partnership with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty.
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland raised over £120,000, which is equivalent to 6,170hrs of vital one to one support to help somebody adjust after a hospital stay following a stroke, heart attack or due to a chest condition or Long Covid.
Jayne Forbes, assistant director of fundraising at Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the success of this year’s Forth Bridge Abseil.
“The event not only raised vital funds for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, we were also able to support 33 other charities to raise money to support thousands of people across the country.
“We are hugely grateful to Network Rail and Balfour Beatty for enabling the event to go ahead this year. We hope to be able to bring it back next year to allow yet more fundraising heroes to take part in this iconic event.”
This event was the first time since 2019 that the fundraising event had been open to the public due to pandemic restrictions.
Charities have now been urged to register interest for places at a future event, with CHSS hopeful they will be able to run the event in 2024.
Fiona Dennis, community fundraising officer at Scotland’s Air Ambulance (SCAA), added: “20 of our supporters raised over £10,500.
“SCAA receives no government funding, every penny raised helps to fund our helicopter emergency service that operates over the whole of Scotland. That is why an amazing total like this is so important to SCAA – it will cover the costs of four potentially life-saving missions.
“On behalf of SCAA’s patients, pilots and paramedics, a huge thank you to CHSS, Balfour Beatty, and Network Rail for giving us all the opportunity to do this.”
