Going full kilt-walk to help fund YMCA centre
A Tayside Virtual Kiltwalk team raised more than £2700 to help support the creation of a new YMCA Centre in Perth.
The Scotland Virtual Kiltwalk 2021 event, which took place on the last weekend in April, saw 16 members of staff, volunteers and students take on the challenging endeavour of walking both Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers.
The intrepid fundraisers trekked for more than six hours, successfully completing both Munros in just one day.
Choosing to pursue these Munros was an idea suggested by YMCA partners The Breathe Project and it was a first for staff, who successfully completed their first ever kiltwalk fundraiser.
The dedicated YMCA Tayside staff made £1515 by taking part in the kiltwalk.
That fundraising total rose to more than £2272 thanks to support by Scottish businessman and entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter and the Hunter Foundation.
The fundraising activities will support plans to create a new YMCA Centre in Perth which will include a health and wellbeing space for young people.
The centre will be in the St Andrew’s and St Stephen’s Church in Atholl Street and is being designed with the input of young people.
The plans to transform the abandoned church building were handed a £1.5 million boost in January after receiving funding from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF).
YMCA Tayside initially wanted to bulldoze the 130-year-old C-listed Gothic structure in place of a new operations centre and more than 20 flats.
But that plan was abandoned and replaced with an alternative money raised will be used to purchase an innovative ‘Electricity Generating Bike’for the new centre that will retain the building, but tear down an unsafe extension at the back.
The money raised will be used to purchase an innovative ‘Electricity Generating Bike’ for the new Y Centre.
The generosity of the Hunter Foundation and all who donated was “greatly appreciated” by YMCA Tayside.
Chief executive of YMCA Tayside Jill McGrath said: “We believe the bike will be a fun addition to our health and wellbeing space, where young people, staff and volunteers will have the opportunity to improve their fitness level whilst generating electricity for the facilities.”
A YMCA Tayside spokesperson added: “[We] hope these additions to its facilities at the new Y Centre will contribute towards making a safe and welcoming space for young people that will encourage fun movement and learning, as well as being a space in which young people can feel welcome and relaxed.
“It hopes to inspire young people, staff and visitors to think more about their carbon footprint and how we can all make a difference.
“This is especially significant after it was announced by The Perth Leadership Forum chair Mike Robinson that Perth is to become the first small sustainable city in Europe.
“As a result YMCA Tayside is passionate about offsetting its carbon footprint and contributing towards this goal.
“YMCA Tayside works with over 300 young people each year providing them with learning opportunities and a safe space to socialise and grow.”