Kilt wearers raise £3m following return of mass participation fundraising

More than 10,000 fundraisers wearing kilts raised £3m for charities across Scotland at the weekend.

The annual Kiltwalk event has been held each year since 2016 but became a virtual fundraiser amid the Covid pandemic due to social distancing guidelines.

This year marks a return to mass participation fundraising for the event, which has also retained a virtual element for those unable to take part in person.

The event takes place in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dundee, and Edinburgh with the Glasgow event taking place at the weekend, raising £2m from those that took part. This was topped up by the Hunter Foundation to a total of £3m, which will be handed out to 685 charities.

Over the event’s six years it has raised more than £32m for 2,850 charities.

The Aberdeen event takes place next month, in Dundee in August and in Edinburgh in September. A virtual weekend for the event is scheduled for October.

The final Kiltwalker has crossed the finish line! 🏁 🥇

That’s a wrap on the 2022 Glasgow Kiltwalk! Thank you so much to our sponsors, Kilties and, of course, our Kiltwalkers for an unbelievable day 🙌

Don’t forget, all funds raised get #50PercentMore thanks to @SirTomhunter. pic.twitter.com/GWOtYhbQgm
— Kiltwalk (@thekiltwalk) April 24, 2022

Among charities to benefit is Children’s Hospices Across Scotland. Its senior community and challenge events fundraiser Fiona Leslie said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been part of Scotland's Kiltwalk and would like to say a massive thank you to every walker who took on the challenge for CHAS in our 30th anniversary year.

“We are blown away by the amount of people who signed up in 2022 and all the funds raised will make a huge difference to the children with life shortening conditions and their families that we support across Scotland.”

Paul Carberry, national director for Scotland and England for Action for Children, another charity to benefit, added: “We are so grateful to everyone raising money for us at this amazing event. The 50% top up for The Hunter Foundation means that we can give even more vulnerable children in Scotland the safe and happy childhood they deserve.”