Amanda goes 500 miles for Hospice
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Highland Hospice’s Community and Events Fundraiser Amanda Mackay - who grew up in Kinlochbervie - is preparing for the challenge of a lifetime, as she attempts to cover a distance of 500 miles in a variety of ways and locations, to raise funds for the Hospice.
Her challenge began in April when she cycled 15 miles of the Black Isle Cycle Challenge, an annual fundraiser for the Hospice.
She is now busily training for the remaining 485 miles, which culminates in a 326 mile cycle in the Hospice’s Ho Chi Minh to Angkor Wat Cycle Run through Cambodia and Vietnam, in February 2012.
The rest of the challenge is made up of the Great Wilderness Challenge (23 August this year) – eight miles, Baxter’s Festival of Running (2 October) three miles, swimming the length of Loch Ness in a swimming pool – 22 miles and walking the length of the Highlands – 126 miles (as the crow flies).
Amanda's parents, Tom and Margaret Burt, owned the Old School Hotel, Inshegra, and she attended both Kinlochbervie primary and secondary schools. She now lives in Dingwall.
She says: “I have been persuading and helping people to take part in their own challenges for six years now in my job as fundraiser at the Hospice, so thought it was about time that I followed my own advice and did something of my own!
“The challenge is named after the song 500 miles by The Proclaimers. Everyone who knows me will have experienced the enthusiasm I feel for this song, and so I thought it might inspire me along the way. I am extremely nervous but also very excited!
“Highland Hospice is an amazing place that makes such a difference to the patients and families who require the specialist love and care that it provides, so I would be so grateful for any support.”
Linda Macdonald, Fundraising Manager for the Hospice said, “We are all really impressed with Amanda for attempting this difficult challenge, and are behind her every step of the way as she works her way through it.”
If you wish to sponsor Amanda, you can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/Amanda-Mackay
