Rob leads team on charity marathon from Coll to Karonga
FORMER Scottish Rugby captain Rob Wainwright and supporters from around the world are undertaking another mammoth challenge to raise money for Mary’s Meals.
The ex-rugby star-turned-farmer and 370 participants have signed up to a ‘ virtual’ event to raise money to continue feeding an entire school of hungry children with Mary’s Meals for a further three years.
They are hoping to raise £ 30,000 by clocking up a total distance of 5,555 miles – the equivalent of cycling from Coll, where Rob lives, to Malawi – be- fore October 27. Participants will cycle, run, swim or row any distance as part of the challenge, which is mapped out online, and can do so individually or as a team.
Among the 370 taking part are Scottish rugby players, double Olympic gold rower Heather Stanning and record-breaking long- distance cyclist Mark Beaumont.
In 2014 Rob and a team of eight friends completed a gruelling 811-mile cycle across the Highlands in eight days.
The money raised from that event allowed Mary’s Meals to provide daily meals to pupils at a school in Karonga, Malawi, over three years.
Rob and supporters have so far raised £15,000 from their latest fundraising efforts and hope to double that amount to allow them to cover the cost of funding meals for the 1,050 pupils at Kasoba Primary School for another three years.
Rob and a team of around 25 cyclists stopped off at the Mary’s Meals headquarters in Dalmally last Friday (May 19) as part of a cycling weekend where they plan to cover 200 miles over three days as part of their latest challenge.
Rob said: ‘ We were inspired to fund- raise for Mary’s Meals again because of the massive difference we know one meal can have on a chronically hungry child – helping them to stay alive and giving them the energy to learn so they have the chance of a better future.
‘ We’re delighted with the support we have received so far for our Coll to Karonga Challenge and we hope that by highlighting this event more people will be motivated to get involved with Mary’s Meals, knowing that no matter what part they play, they will be helping to transform the lives of children at an entire school.’