Whopping amount raised by 20,000 inspirational walkers in 2018

Organisers of the Kiltwalk revealed a record-breaking year for the fundraiser with £5 million for Scottish good causes.

This year the event, backed by Sir Tom Hunter and the Hunter Foundation, saw more than 20,000 walkers take part in four events in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.

The number participating in 2018 amounts to a 42% increase on the 14,000 who got involved in 2017.

Walkers raised £3.6 million for 1,156 charities - with a further £1.4 million added by Hunter who matched the funds raised via the Hunter Foundation.

It represents a remarkable turnaround for the charity which was embroiled in a governance crisis in 2015 after a host of charity partners withdrew.

However Tom Hunter took over the organisation after the board were forced to resign and turned it into one of the country’s most popular mass participation events.

Hunter was joined by Scotland manager Alex Macleish to celebrate the announcement handover as well as Lucy Hunter, four, from Uddingston, who was born with heart problems but is now flourishing thanks to support from Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity.

Hunter said: “20,082 walkers, 1,156 amazing charities benefiting from an incredible £5m of funding – Kiltwalk is on the march.

“The statistics, while amazing, don’t scratch the surface of the impact on those most in need. If anyone typifies the character, humility and sheer determination of our walkers it’s Joanna Lamb from Edinburgh.

"Joanna is an incredible young woman with terminal cancer walking to support fellow cancer sufferers and It’s Good 2 Give; powerful and emotional; truly amazing.”

Next year’s Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk events will take place on 28 April in Glasgow, 2 June in Aberdeen, 18 August in Dundee and 15 September in Edinburgh.