Cycle in ambulance man Jimmy’s honour

Friends and family raise cash for hospital intensive care unit after ‘big loss to community’

Charity cyclists have raised thousands of pounds in memory of a former Fife ambulance technician who died suddenly last year.

Friends and family of Jimmy Hall, who spent 30 years working out of Cupar ambulance station, raised £4,600 in the 73-year-old’s honour by completing a challenge over the weekend for Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s intensive care unit.

The cycle, which was organised by Jimmy’s daughter, Jackie Hall, also an ambulance paramedic, involved a 100mile ride on Saturday, which started and ended at Cupar Golf Club.

Jackie, 53, said: “The support has been fantastic – everyone gave 100%.

“I am just overwhelmed, to be honest, with the people who have put themselves up to do this, people with no cycling experience.

“It was quite emotional. At one point, when I got to the top of the hill and I could see Cupar, a few tears went down my face. I realised I was going to finish it.”

So far, around £4,685 has been raised, including £1,405 raised at Jimmy’s funeral, around £1,000 from sponsorship for the cyclists and £2,280 through a JustGiving page.

Jackie, 53, said she was “overwhelmed” by everyone who took part, including former colleagues of Jim’s, Andrew Sheldrick and Christopher Darlington, based at Cupar and who rode bikes on the day, and the support crew, including Angela Kay, a Dunfermline paramedic who provided medical support, Michael Porter, a technician at Dunfermline, who assisted with bike repairs, and her partner, Alan Finlay, who did a lot of work behind the scenes and encouraged the riders.

Elizabeth Meade, 60, a paramedic based at Kirkcaldy, also took part.

Jackie, a former team leader at Kirkcaldy who is now based at Elgin, said the idea was devised shortly before her dad died. She said: “We wanted to raise money for the unit. The support they provided was fantastic.

“We originally were going to cycle over two days, from Nairn to Cupar, but the logistics proved too difficult.”

The team of 14 cyclists only included few members with cycling experience. Part of the route was a circle around Jimmy’s station at Cupar.

Jimmy was a well-known member of the Fife community, and was heavily involved with Cupar Hearts football club. Along with Cecil White, he was also one of the first two “ambulance men” to be based at Cupar.

Jackie added: “He was a big loss for the community and a big loss to us. I did not realise how well known he was until his funeral – there were more than 400 people who attended.”

Anyone wishing to donate can still do so at www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/jackie-hall-410.

When I got to the top of the hill and I could see Cupar, a few tears went down my face

The team of cyclists riding in memory of Cupar ambulance technician Jimmy Hall – many of whom have little cycling experience – raised £4,600 for Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s intensive care unit.