Kiltwalkers to span the globe for Muirfield Riding Therapy

Their challenge, which began in January, is raising funds for Muirfield Riding Therapy (MRT), based at West Fenton, near Gullane.

The walkers had no idea then if they would reach their target of logging enough team miles to circumnavigate the world by the Virtual Kiltwalk weekend on April 25.

But with two months under their belts, they’ve already covered a staggering 19,711 miles.

Organisers of The Kiltwalk, named as the UK’s fifth biggest mass participation fundraising event, switched to virtual events in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, raising £7 million in the process.

In January 2021, the Kiltwalk crew launched another virtual event, Scotland’s Virtual Kiltwalk Weekend, April 23-25. Kiltwalkers were encouraged to take on a challenge of their choice.

Supporters jumped at the chance to raise funds for MRT – a volunteer-led centre, providing pioneering, life-changing, equine therapy, free.

Established in 1989, it is a member group of Riding for the Disabled Association UK.

Caroline Bacigalupo, founder of the 'Round the World in 90 Days' challenge in aid of Muirfield Riding Therapy

The riders are people with a wide range of disabilities and life-affecting conditions, both physical and mental.

Caroline Bacigalupo, from Port Seton, MRT coach and founder of the charity’s ‘Round the World in 90 Days’ challenge, said: “We had loads of fun training for last year’s Kiltwalk, despite the pandemic. It kept us fit and motivated, and so we wanted to do something challenging again, to help keep team spirit going over winter lockdown.

“We’ve all been missing going on holiday or just visiting friends who live further away, so this inspired us to create our ‘Round the World in 90 Days’ challenge.

“Our team have been choosing a destination to aim for and logging their miles.”

Team MRT Virtual Kiltwalker Shirley Duff, a Gullane resident, has been logging her miles since January 25.

Gemma Berry, from North Berwick, a pony carer at MRT, on Highland pony Kara. She is clocking up virtual miles en route to Amsterdam.

She said: “I left Gullane and made it to Belfast to visit my sister. Then onto Dublin to visit my brother and best friends and onto Wexford to visit my other brother. Now making my way back to Gullane – about 180 miles to go.”

Meanwhile, the Sutton family, from East Linton, are aiming to ‘reach’ Antayla in Turkey for a beach break by April 25.

“We started with a team of three but we’ve now got around 70 people logging their miles to help us reach our goal of 24,900 miles. We cannot believe the result at this point, two months in, to be at over 19,000 already is an incredible effort,” said Miss Bacigalupo who also works for catering giant BaxterStorey. The catering firm have fielded several teams in support of MRT’s Round the World goal.

Not only has the MRT team been putting in the miles but they’ve also been putting in fundraising effort. The team fundraising total is standing at £8,300 smashing their original target by £3,000.

Michelle Sutton on training walk near Preston Mill at East Linton. She and her family are supporting the Virtual Kiltwalk in aid of Muirfield Riding Therapy.

Fundraising manager Debs McLaughlin, from Gullane, said that the event would play a big part in their fundraising this year, especially due to philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter and his 50 per cent top up to all Kiltwalkers’ fundraising totals.

She said: “People have been so generous in their support.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s donated so far.

“The Kiltwalk is a fantastic fundraiser, allowing us to continue to fundraise safely and raise awareness of our work during lockdown.

“But perhaps most importantly, it’s about having a bit of fun together during this tough time.”

She added: “We’ve got riders logging their miles out hacking on our therapy ponies, the ponies get exercised, we get miles logged.

“We even have someone supporting us from Dubai, clocking up miles on his bike in the desert, and someone else supporting us by doing circuits of a helideck on a ship at work in the Gulf of Oman.”

The team can be supported by visiting muirfieldridingtherapy.org.uk