An incredible day in The City of Discovery!
4,600 Kiltwalk heroes enjoyed the summer sunshine as they raised over £750,000 for 525 Scottish charities
4,600 Kiltwalk heroes enjoyed the summer sunshine as they raised over £750,000 for 525 Scottish charities today [Sunday 17 August], in the biggest-ever Dundee Kiltwalk.
3,000 Mighty Striders departed from West Sands in St Andrews, in sight of the famous first tee of the Old Course, on a 20-mile trek that passed through Tayport and over the iconic Tay Bridge, before crossing the finish line at Slessor Gardens in the heart of Dundee.
1,600 Kiltwalkers opted for the Wee Wander, setting off from Castle Green, Broughty Ferry, on a four-mile walk beside the River Tay before joining the Mighty Striders at the finish line in the City of Discovery.
Kiltwalk CEO Paul Cooney said: "The majority of our brilliant Kiltwalkers are fundraising for local charities that do vital work here in North Fife, Dundee and Angus - and thanks to their generosity, we are on track to raise over £750,000 for incredible local causes. Thanks to the Hunter Foundation underwriting Kiltwalk, every pound donated - including Gift Aid - goes to the walkers' chosen charities.
"We are grateful for the support of NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, and their 300 Kiltwalkers, and to the Northwood Charitable Trust, both of which have made the Dundee Kiltwalk an essential fixture in the area's calendar.
"This year marks our tenth year of Kiltwalking, and the kindness of walkers and their families has been overwhelming."
Shelly McCarthy, charity chief officer at NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be a sponsor of Kiltwalk Dundee this year, and proud to have over 300 amazing walkers getting their steps in – together we’re making a real difference for the health of the people of Tayside.”
All Dundee Kiltwalkers who registered and fundraised are in with the chance of winning a car worth £30,000, thanks to headline sponsor Arnold Clark.
Russell Borrie, chief executive officer at Arnold Clark, said: “The Kiltwalk continues to make a huge difference to so many communities across Scotland, bringing people together to raise vital funds for charities close to their hearts. We know it's always a great occasion that’s enjoyed by everyone, including the many Arnold Clark employees who take part every year.
“We’re also excited to offer Kiltwalkers the chance to win any car up to the value of £30,000!”
Another highlight saw two lucky charities win a surprise £5,000 each from Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation as part of the ‘Happiest Minute’ at the Kiltwalk. The winning Dundee charities were:
- Kanzen for Life, which supports over 1,200 people each week through physical activity, education and community initiatives that promote health and wellbeing, with a mission to inspire communities to tackle social challenges, build connections and create a better future together.
- Dundee Dragons, Tayside’s only active-user wheelchair sports club. Founded in 2013, the club offers wheelchair rugby, basketball and other adaptive sports for all ages and abilities. Their aim is to maximise sporting potential for every player, regardless of ability, while building strong community connections.
200 of today’s walkers opted to fundraise for Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 campaign, which aims to improve the lives of people living with a stage four cancer diagnosis. Their donations are distributed between five specially selected charities: Cancer Research UK, Maggie’s, Prostate Cancer UK, Breast Cancer Now, and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Dundee is the penultimate Kiltwalk of the year, with the finale for 2025 taking place in Edinburgh on Sunday 14 September, with the registration fee remaining £20 thanks to The Hunter Foundation.
For more information, or to register for Edinburgh Kiltwalk, visit: www.thekiltwalk.co.uk.
ALL FUNDRAISING GOES TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE
Thank you for your Kiltwalk Kindness.
