CHSS promotes Step Up Challenge to ensure vital work continues
Reports that two of Scotland's most popular events - the Glenlivet 10K and the Culloden Run – have been cancelled for 2020, have proved premature. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) has updated previous information and is hoping that both events will take place this year.
The Glenlivet 10K was originally scheduled for last month but postponed due to the coronavirus situation. Organisers are still hoping to find a suitable date later in the year for their award-winning event.
CHSS has also confirmed that their classic autumn double-header, the Culloden Run, is still scheduled to take place on Sunday, 25 October.
While this weekend’s 2.6 Challenge focused attention on the significant funds raised for UK charities by runners at events like London Marathon, the effects of the coronavirus crisis on charities who depend on events they organise themselves hasn’t received the same publicity.
While times are challenging for all charities, given the nature of CHSS’ work, any loss of funding is a blow not just to them, but to anyone affected by coronavirus, either directly or indirectly. Paul Corrigan MBE, Community & Events Manager at CHSS told runABC Scotland online: “As a Scottish charity involved with 'respiratory illness', the coronavirus crisis means we have increased demand for our services and support, but our income from all fundraising streams has been severely curtailed or lost.”
Despite the obvious difficulties of any charity trying to do much more with much less, Corrigan remains positive. “When the going gets tough the tough get creative," he added. "We’re looking at a variety of ways of getting people involved in fundraising from their homes and in keeping physically and mentally healthy and fit at the same time.”
To help see them through these difficult times, the charity has recently launched the Step Up Challenge – in which supporters raise funds for CHSS by committing to replicating a climb up their favourite hill, mountain or Munro on their own stairs – and the collective ‘May Day Munro Challenge’ for which the charity is seeking 282 fundraisers, each keen to climb one of Scotland’s Munros in their own home on the First of May.
CHSS summed up the current situation: “As a charity helping thousands across Scotland, it's a very concerning and uncertain time. It's important for us to commit and help as many people as possible right now, but it’s also important for us to look to the future and be able to support those who need us once this is all over. Every little bit of support we get right now really does make a huge difference.”