Superb Glasgow Kiltwalkers raise more than £4,000 for CrossReach
20 May 2025
A tremendous effort from Kiltwalkers in Glasgow saw more than £4,000 (and counting) raised for CrossReach last month.
The last weekend in April saw history made as the biggest Kiltwalk ever took place with a record breaking 19,000 walkers taking part over its two-day runtime. The weekend kicked off with words from Tom Hunter of the Hunter Foundation who generously cover the majority of costs for the event, keeping walker registration fees at the lowest of any mass participation event. Tom was joined by famous comedian and actor Paddy McGuinness to offer words of inspiration and motivation to all the walkers, among which were those taking on the Glasgow Kiltwalk in aid of CrossReach.
Despite the dreich weather, the atmosphere was electric. From the bustling start lines in the city to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, walkers had an incredible time enjoying the entertainment and refreshments provided along the way. The wonderful women of the Tom Allan Centre and Bluebell led the way on Saturday with Ruth, Gillian, Anne and Liz taking on the Big Stroll. The ladies said they enjoyed the day despite the rain, especially Anne who did more than a stroll to be the first female to cross the finish line! The ladies managed to raise more than £1,000 (and counting) for Bluebell and Tom Allan.
May Dunsmore also took on the Saturday walk as a personal challenge while raising funds for Threshold Community and Shortbreaks, describing her Kiltwalk experience as “an amazing journey” which was “more than just an event”, May shared her reflections on the day.
She said: “Completing the Kiltwalk for me was not simply about crossing a finish line, it was about the joy of doing this for our service users. Joining the group of walkers from various charities and walking alongside them was amazing and encouraging and made the walk even more enjoyable.
“Along the way, the volunteers and supporters cheering you on, offering refreshments and encouragement certainly kept my motivation going. The Kiltwalk for me also fostered a sense of unity, bringing together people who share a passion for making a difference. With preparation I managed to do the walk, dare I say it ‘as a pensioner’ so if I can do it I believe anyone who trains for the Kiltwalk can.”
The weather didn’t get much better for Sunday but that certainly didn’t dampen the CrossReach kiltwalkers spirits. The Mighty Morven Power Rangers took on the Wee Wander to raise funds for Morven Day Centre and truly looked the part in their CrossReach t-shirts and even brought a real-life power ranger along for the day! The group brought a great energy and never lost their smiles along the way, raising an incredible £1,300 between their various fundraising channels.
Tommy, a service user at Whiteinch Move on Service was brave enough to take on the 23-mile Mighty Stride with his support worker Steven. Tommy’s mum who attended at the start point with his brother to encourage him and see him off said: “I just felt so proud of Tommy and how far he’s come in life. I was just full of pride! His daughter Leona is also so proud of him.”
After finishing the walk and having a well-deserved rest, Tommy said: “When Steven asked me if I wanted to do it, I hadn’t done anything like that before. After I’d done it the sense of achievement was brilliant and I had never felt like that before. After it I felt a bit of pride in myself because I finished 24-miles and I was glad I could raise money for a good cause. It’s motivated me and given me self-belief. I’m up for doing it again next year! If there’s another fundraiser I’m on it!”
Steven, who supported Tommy along the way, added: “The walk was a great day and me and Tommy were speaking about how good it was to be in a position where we could raise awareness and money for a good cause. It was really enjoyable, and I enjoyed getting to know Tommy better. I’m already planning on doing it next year.”
As well as their incredible achievement of completing the 23-mile trek, the pair raised an amazing £600.
Tracey and Andy from South Beach House also braved the elements on Sunday and offered some great insight on the day along with some invaluable advice to those planning on taking on a Kiltwalk in the future.
They said: “At South Beach House we’ve been planning to renovate the old summerhouse into a garden shop for the residents to enjoy. When the Kiltwalk posters came out, Andy and I decided to take the plunge and raise the funds by getting moving! The exercise gear was dusted off and the kilts were on!
“What a lovely route we followed throughout the walk, and great to have the (much needed) pitstops along the way. Add to this the groups of spectators who cheered everyone on, giving high fives to let us know we were doing great, and it made for a great day and sense of achievement. Our advice to those considering joining the Kiltwalk next year would be to make sure you train for it, and ensure you have the right footwear. Your muscles and heels will thank you for it!”
We couldn’t be prouder of our CrossReach Glasgow Kiltwalk 2025 team and their selflessness for donning their kilts in the wet and windy Scottish weather. If this wonderful bunch have inspired you to take on the Kiltwalk yourself, there is still time to sign up for one of the three remaining walks for 2025. Choose the location that suits you and follow the links below to sign up. Team Glasgow have set the bar, so grab your kilt and comfy shoes and let’s walk to enhance, change and save lives!
