Bus team take on the Ben Nevis trail
Blantyre team on charity climb
A team from bus operator First Glasgow’s Blantyre depot will be heeding the pipers’ call as they set off on a trek of Ben Nevis this week in aid of Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK).
The eight-strong group includes two staff members who are bagpipe players who will pipe the team out when they leave the Blantyre depot early on tomorrow (Friday, August 18).
They will also pipe them on to the peak of Britain’s highest mountain when they undertake the trek the next day.
Champion piper Kenny Pettigrew and colleague John Allan, a 100-plus marathon runner, will don kilts and provide stirring renditions of popular Scottish tunes to rally the team for the challenge ahead.
The group have even set up their own website – Firstnevischallenge.com – as they try to raise as much as possible for Prostate Cancer UK, which was chosen as Firstgroup’s charity of choice partner following a vote by 25,000 employees across all of its businesses.
Firstgroup have pledged to fund-match donations up to £1,600 (£200 per team member) and the team are well on the way to achieving that but are seeking extra donations to hit that allimportant target.
Despite dubbing themselves an “overweight and out of shape” bunch on their website, the team have been putting in some serious training to reach the top of Ben Nevis - 1,345m above sea level and equivalent to 315 double-decker buses stacked on top of each other.
Organiser Ritchie Nash, who has taken on Ben Lomond, Grey Mare’s Tail and Hart Fell Ridge as part of the preparations, said: “We’ve got a great team who are raring to go and the pipers will put a spring in our step on the day.
“Firstnevischallenge is all about raising as much money as possible for Prostate Cancer UK and raising awareness of the treatment available for this condition.
“It’s great that Firstgroup will match fund the money raised and we’re very grateful to the company and colleagues for their incredible support.”
Margaret Mayer, First Bus Business Director, Lanarkshire, added: “It’s been a fantastic fundraising effort so far and we’re very proud of the team, who are supporting and raising money for a great cause.
“We wish them every success on the day.”