Sarah Brown and famous friends begin epic quest

Group of five will walk 117 miles to raise cash for Theirworld

“We’re going to be hospitalised from hilarity.” That’s what happens when five close friends who don’t get to meet up as often as they would like decide to embark on the little matter of a 117-mile walk together. As you do. Sarah Brown and a group of celebrity friends set out yesterday to walk the Fife Coastal Path for Theirworld, a charity which aims to give children the best start in life. The hikers included Great British Bake-Off and QI host Sandi Toksvig and her wife Debbie, international bestselling author Kathy Lette and actress and author Arabella Weir. They started off in North Queensferry and will end five days later in Newport. The idea came from Sarah, wife of former prime minister Gordon Brown, with the aim of raising £20,000 for her Theirworld charity. With Arabella a trustee, Sandi an ambassador and Kathy on the advisory board, Sarah said: “They have all been really supportive. “They have all been involved in it for a long time.” She stressed the vital work Theirwork does in bringing education and skills to those children who otherwise may not have the best start in life. With some of its early projects having their roots in Fife 15 years ago, she said it was lovely coming back to take on the hiking challenge. Already more than £15,000 of the £20,000 target has been raised. The group, having done 11 miles, stopped off for lunch at Sands restaurant in Aberdour. But where was Kathy? “She’s our fastest walker and we’re a bit too slow for her, so she shot off ahead,” revealed Sarah. When she did arrive, she admitted having lost her way a bit but had clocked up 17 miles. Calling for haggis to sustain her, Kathy added the group would be hospitalised by hilarity as the trip progressed. For Sandi, who has been training by “eating cake”, it was a welcome return to Fife following the runaway success of her keynote speech at this year’s Adam Smith Foundation Festival of Ideas. Today, the group will meet up with staff and supporters of the Cottage Family Centre before a stroll along Kirkcaldy High Street to the Harbourmaster’s café in Dysart. Day three will see them head through Elie, St Monans and Pittenweem before a fish supper at the Anstruther Fish Bar. They hope people will come out to say hello en route. Donations can be made online at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/theirworldfifewalk or in the walkers’ collection buckets.

They have all been really supportive. They have all been involved in it for a long time. SARAH BROWN

Picture: George McLuskie. From left: Sarah Brown, Sandi Toksvig, her wife Debbie and Arabella Weir are taking on the Fife Coastal Path.