THE president of Musselburgh Sea Cadets’ unit management committee has put her best foot forward to help the group fundraise after recovering from heart surgery.

Jane Fairnie, 75, has joined in the cadets’ virtual sponsored walk, which took them from their base in Musselburgh to the organisation’s HQ on Lambeth Road, London, and back home.

She has clocked up more than 4,000 steps in the garden of her home on Promenade, completing 400 steps around her garden daily with the aid of a walking stick.

Mrs Fairnie, whose father-in-law Robert Fairnie MBE BEM founded the local cadet unit along with Jimmy Brown, underwent a heart bypass and valve replacement in February last year, spending about seven weeks in hospital.

She was keen to do her bit to support the cadets’ sponsored walk last month.

Along with family members, the cadets logged their steps or kilometres, completed daily during March, via an online tracker which calculated the distance walked for each day.

They had originally planned to walk 600km, from Musselburgh to London, but smashed their target distance and started the return journey back to the Honest Toun – a total of 1,200km.

So far they have raised more than £1,770.

Funds raised will be used to provide training when the cadets return to their newly refurbished unit building on South Street after Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

Mrs Fairnie, who has enjoyed the exercise, has raised more than £150 so far, with friends leaving envelopes with donations at her door.

She thanked those who supported her through her recent health issues, including family and friends who sent cards and good wishes, staff at ward 102 at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Inveresk Medical Practice and Boots the Chemist, Musselburgh Congregational Church and carers from East Lothian Council.

Anyone who would like to support Mrs Fairnie with a donation can contact her on 07860 229126.