Stornoway Running and Athletics Club
SRAC Present £2,421.12 To Samaritans
Stornoway Running & Athletics Club presented their annual charity fund raising cheque this year to the Samaritans of the Western Isles. Ross Munro of SRAC presented a cheque for £2,421.12 to Samaritans volunteer John Murdo MacDonald.
SRAC’s fund raising total was an accumulation of monies raised through the Stornoway Half Marathon Charity Relay, the Silver Trail Relay collection from around various businesses in the town and the clubs London Marathon entry. The clubs 2006 London entry was taken up by Becky Robson (centre of picture), following in the footsteps of her prolific marathon running Dad and club Chair, Tony! Becky competing in her first marathon raised the superb sum of £892.41 to boost SRAC’S overall total.
The Silver Trail Charity Relay took on a new route this year with club runners running from Tuimphan Head Lighthouse to Rodel, the group were supported by a large number of the junior section of the club. A total of £1,107.80 was raised form the hostelries of Lewis and Harris and representatives from the Lewis Bar (3rd), Harris Motel (2nd) and the Criterion Bar, the bar with the highest collection for the year are in the picture. The Lewis as previous winners of the Silver Trail Collection total this year was £116.50, second placed Harris Motel raised £203.50 and RUN-A-WAY winners were the Criterion (for the second time) with a total of £459.00! Thanks to all the efforts of those accepting and attempting to fill Silver Trail collection boards, thanks also to the kindness of motorists who too time to stop and contribute during the relay.
SRAC’s marathon fund raising efforts over the past ten years have benefited many worthy local charities including, Western Isles Kidney Patients Association, ENABLE, RNLI, MacMillan Nurses and Cul Taic to name a few and have raised and donated in excess of £25,000 in this time period. A considerable sum, given that the club also have to fund their own activities, competing regularly on the mainland!
SRAC’s marathon participation this season has also hit an all time high with club members training for and all ready taking part in events throughout Europe this season. Neil Macdonald was first to come under the marathon starters gun this season as he took on not only the 26.2 miles but the heat of the Malta Marathon! Two weeks latter Tony Robson amazingly completed his twenty-third marathon, Tony also had to bear the southern European climate choosing the beautiful city of Barcelona for his twenty-third full marathon, 25° C to be precise - all the way!
The Pentland Road is getting well pounded by a number of club runners as Rory Ferguson and Kathleen MacLeod prepare for the London Marathon in April (so c’mon motorist slow down on this single track road when approaching). Meanwhile Ross Munro and Jim Bruce are training towards the Krakow marathon in Poland! Both venues should be a tad cooler than either Malta or Barcelona though! Janetta MacDonald and Ethel McNally look set to be running in Reykjavik later in the year, while Tony will no doubt be looking to “bag” another? This would take the club total for the year to six different full marathon venues, surely some kind of club record! Hopefully the charity fund raising will also fair as well!
The local charity to benefit this year will be the Hebrides Alpha Project whose aim is to provide a housing and rehabilitation service for people experiencing difficulties because of drug or alcohol addiction, mental health or social/psychological difficulties. Contact any club member with contribution enquiries, please.
A.Tupper