Daily 5ks in tribute to beloved sis Becky

Robbie raises £5300 for fund

Thousands of pounds have been donated to a fund which will help raise awareness of the cancer which sadly took the life of Becky Punton when she was 28.

Former Perth High School student Becky died in 2019 from Ewing’s Sarcoma.

Brother Robbie Laidlaw (26) has now successfully completed a poignant running challenge to honour her. On March 23 the family launched the fund in her name to raise money in Becky’s memory.

The date was significant as it would have been her 30th birthday.

Last month, as the fund was opened, friends and family said Becky had brought “pure joy to everyone who knew her”. She had not long been married and was just setting up home when she got ill. Younger brother Robbie, a ministry trainee in Glasgow, pledged to begin fundraising by setting himself the tough challenge of running 5k every day for the following 30 days.

The first run took him from the Laidlaw family home in Perth to Becky’s grave in the Jeanfield Road cemetery.

A month on, Robbie has completed his running and raised £5300 through a justgiving.com sponsorship appeal.

He told the PA: “There were a few times when I really didn’t want to get up and run. But having the appeal in my mind gave me the motivation to get out and do it.

“I enjoyed the encouragement of friends who joined alongside me for some of the runs and I really benefitted from the company and having them near.

“Everyone’s support has been incredible. It has blown me away.

“I intend to keep running, bringing it down to a few times a week going forward.

“I was a bit of a couch potato before, the challenge has really helped my fitness and wellbeing.”

Robbie’s total added to another £5000 already separately donated to the fund which is supporting Sarcoma UK, a charity which looks after families affected by the cancer that killed Becky. It brings the total so far raised to just over £10,000.

Becky’s husband Alasdair Punton saluted Robbie’s dedication to running, hoped to be the first of many fundraisers to feed into the fund.

“Robbie has done so well taking on a really tough challenge which has captured people’s imagination and raised an amazing amount of money in Becky’s memory,” he said.

“A massive thank you once again to everyone who has donated. It was very important for us to keep Becky’s memory alive and a positive way to do this was to support the fantastic charity, Sarcoma UK.

“This is just the beginning of the journey for us and we hope lots of others will be inspired by Robbie’s example to take on their own fundraising activities and support the fund.”

On April 21 Robbie posted to his supporters: “Can you believe it? Job done. A total of 150km run in 30 days, £5000 raised.

“I could have made it to Carlisle had I ran that all at once and in one direction.

“I am astonished. I am so thankful to everyone who got involved, donating or running or praying.

“All I can say is that this money will be going to a good place. And if you haven’t yet given, please do.

“I know Becky would be immensely proud of this, and I am glad to have been able to do something for her.

“This isn’t the end though. Please do like The Becky Punton Fund to get involved.”