Scotland's Charities Need Your Kiltwalk Kindness Now

It's no secret that over 1,300 charities that take part in Kiltwalk play a vital role in supporting people across Scotland but during these unprecedented times, Scotland's charities need your support more than ever.

Although the Glasgow and Aberdeen events have been postponed, we are going to pay your fundraising to the charities EARLY plus a 50% bonus from Sir Tom Hunter.

Anyone who signs up or is already signed up for the Glasgow Kiltwalk has until March 31 to submit their fundraising. And anyone who signs up or is already signed up for the Aberdeen Kiltwalk has until May 7th to do the same.

So Kiltwalkers, we need to support our charities NOW.

Register and Start Fundraising Now

Here are some examples of the incredible work these charities do below and why your fundraising is so important.

Team Jak

"We have introduced a weekly timetable of things our patients and families can join in online i.e. Lego challenges on a Friday, music and storytime on a Wednesday and parent chat on a Monday. We have also uploaded relaxation videos for our parents from a relaxation coach, to help with anxiety.

"We have sent over 100 isolation packs out with activities for children, as well as delivering snacks and activities to Ward 2 at Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, to try and help out during this time."

What difference would £100 make to Team Jak?

"£100 would pay for more isolation packs for the children as this continues. Or would pay for coffee, tea and biscuits that we can give to hospitals, should parents face lockdown in the ward, themselves and the children would still have nice treats."

- Hazel McLindon, Den Manager, Team Jak

Team Jak's Website

Finding Your Feet

"We have an online peer support forum for our ‘Troopers’ (FYF amputees), on which we’re increasing the content during this period. We’re including a huge range of resources including things to keep them entertained while self-isolating, as well as content to keep them moving and exercising and addressing any potential deterioration in their mental health.

"We’re aiming to move all of our regular clubs to an online version. For starters, we’ll soon be sharing video content from our counsellor, as well as our meditation, pilates, yoga and fitness instructors. Swimming is proving difficult to replicate online, however!

"All our resources are also available on a public page on our website, accessible by friends/family, for those Troopers without internet access.

"We’re also phoning and holding video group calls with our Troopers, to ensure no-one feels isolated during this time."

What difference would £100 make to Finding Your Feet?

"£100 would pay for 2.5 Troopers for one month under our new plans. This will include access to:

• Five online gym sessions per week

• Two online yoga and/or pilates sessions per week

• Ampu-teas (an online version of our club where Troopers usually all come together in our office for a cuppa and a chat.)

• Peer support phone/video calls – weekly, or as often as required

• Access to our counsellor for phone/video one-to-ones if required."

- Nicola Booth, CEO, Finding Your Feet

Find Your Feet Website

Birth, Baby & Beyond

"Birth, Baby & Beyond are offering free Covid-19 Emergency Baby Packs for families facing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Each pack contains (on average): one tin of baby formula, one new bottle, a selection of baby food, one packet of nappies, one packet of wipes, nappy rash cream, detergent and sanitary products. One pack is valued at approximately £25, will be made to suit individual needs and are free to families that are struggling to cope financially during the pandemic. Our Starter Packs are still available for our partnerships organisations to access via an online referral service."

What difference would £100 make to Birth, Baby & Beyond?

"A week's worth of baby formula, food and nappies for babies aged up to one year. Along with a new feeding bottle, nappy ointment cream, detergent and sanitary products which would last up to one month.

"A 50% top-up of the funds raised for our charity will allow us to help more families facing financial hardship to feed their babies during the coronavirus outbreak."

- Natasha Earle, CEO, Baby, Birth & Beyond

Birth, Baby and Beyond Website

Achieve More Scotland

"We are working to ensure that those children who receive free school meals in the schools where we are active (and their families) receive daily food bags during the Easter break and beyond.

"Whilst there is so much uncertainty and confusion, we want our families to know that we are here to ensure they have the basics to get by on a daily basis."

What difference would £100 make to Achieve More Scotland?

"A donation of £100 will enable us to create 20 food bags and distribute them to families. We hope to distribute hundreds of food bags during Easter and beyond."

- Robert McHarg, CEO, Achieve More Scotland

Achieve More Scotland's Website

Calum's Cabin

"We have closed the charity shop, cabin/cottage/Mountstuart, and Dumfries House bookings. We are phoning and texting our Calum's Cabin families and volunteers every couple of days to check they are ok and if they need anything, also phoning those who live alone to ask if we can help them with shopping, etc or just for a blether. Our Glasgow flat families are now isolated and in the flats all the time apart from when they need to attend hospital, so again being in touch with them all the time and assisting all we can. Our families are immune suppressed and need support at the best of times. They have to be so careful, so this epidemic is extreme for everyone but a million times more so for their children who are at high risk. Our support is paramount at this time.

What difference would £100 make to Calum's Cabin?

"£100 would help with utility bills for our Glasgow flat families or games or anything that they need to help them. Even food vouchers, anything at all.

"If anyone has any Kiltwalk fundraising they are still to pay in, or if they have funds and still haven’t signed up yet, we urge them to do it as soon as possible as the difference to our families will be indescribable. We will do our upmost to support our Calum's Cabin families and everyone’s support makes this happen."

- Caroline Speirs, Chairperson, Calums Cabin

Calum's Cabin Website

4Louis

"Whilst 4Louis are adhering to the Social Distancing directive from the Government we are Still working as hard as we can to get Memory Boxes out to the hospitals and families in need.

"We are taking it in turns to go into the workshop and produce the memory boxes, and last week we sent out an unprecedented 980 boxes. We need now, more than ever to keep production going, one memory box at a time."

What difference would £100 make to 4Louis?

"£100 will help us to supply three Stillbirth Memory boxes or five Early Miscarriage Memory Boxes to families who go through the tragedy of losing a child. This is a horrific and isolating thing to go through at any time and now, through this outbreak to be physically isolated as well, is making these items even more important. The generous 50% top-up that the Kiltwalk are offering will help greatly, as due to the situation we are having to place orders for the memory boxes sooner than expected and prices have risen."

- Victoria Usher, Events Manager, 4louis

4Louis's Website

Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice

"The hospice continues to care for patients during this challenging time. Our doctors and nurses are working extremely hard to give our patients our gold standard of care, as we do on a daily basis. We are also contacting our supporters to see how they are and if they need any support, help with shopping or even just someone to talk to.

"At a time when we have had to cancel or postpone many of our usual fundraising activities, receiving Kiltwalk fundraising, plus the 50% top-up, is helping us to care for our patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Keeping our care as normal as we possibly can for them in this challenging time, is our priority."

What difference would £100 make to Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice?

"As always, every penny is vital to the hospice as we need to fundraise to care for our patients. £100 could help us to provide meals for our inpatients; it can help fund a nurse for our patients, or it can help fund a counselling session for our families."

- Caroline Watson, Education & Challenges Fundraiser, Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice

Prince and Princess of Wales Website

Forth Valley Sensory Centre

"For us, as a charity helping deaf and blind people, we are already working with people who are often lonely or isolated because of their sensory loss, so the current restrictions make that situation even worse. As someone said 'imagine sitting in each day staring at the same four walls. Now imagine you can’t even see the walls.'”

"As a result, what we are doing is telephone befriending. Making sure we make calls to our normal Centre Users on days we would expect them in for a group just to make sure they hear a friendly voice (or see a friendly face if we need to do video calls).

"If people could support our Sensory Striders we would love it. The 50% top-up is a great way to maximise impact and fundraising at this, or indeed any time but for a small charity like us, easily missed in the wider picture, the support is vital."

What difference would £100 make to Forth Valley Sensory Centre?

"Right now £100 will help us to continue these services, covering our phone bill as everyone is working from home where they can and just provide one less thing to worry about."

- Martin Allen, Fundraising and Publicity Manager, Forth Valley Sensory Centre

Forth Valley Sensory Website

We will have more updates from charities who are continuing to provide vital services on this page soon. Until then, if you can help, please register for any of this year's events and use the Kiltwalk as a fundraising platform, or donate to a Kiltwalker's fundraising page. Thank you.

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