Canoe Challenge Raises over £2,214

The annual Glasgow to Edinburgh Canoe Challenge 2015 raised over £2,214 for Kidney Cancer Scotland this year.
Kidney Cancer Scotland is the country’s leading specialist kidney cancer charity. We seek to reduce the harm caused by kidney cancer by increasing knowledge and awareness, providing patient information and by supporting research into the causes, prevention and treatment of the disease across all parts of Scotland.

The Glasgow to Edinburgh Canoe challenge race, run for over 20 years on behalf of the Scottish Canoe Association by Margaret and Brian Chapman, took place across the weekend of October 10 & 11, and saw canoeists paddle the 54 miles from Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, the previous year Eddie McGhee, owner of ‘Outdoortrax’ (), promised he would put a team in but could not make the 2015 date, so his team of 22 family and friends – of all ages aged16 to 60 from the Kilsyth and Cumbernauld area in North Lanarkshire, decided to do their paddle the weekend before raising a fantastic £2100.50!
Safety is a top priority at the challenge and marshals are always close to hand. On the Saturday, two paddlers capsized but a volunteer support boat was close by to assist. And, whilst taking pictures from the river bank for PR purposes, Communities Manager for Kidney Cancer Scotland dropped her new iPhone 6s in the canal! The phone was recovered by a marshal but it was terminal, thankfully the only casualty of the event!
Organiser Brian Chapman said; “This year was once again an excellent event and raising over £2,214 for kidney cancer patients in Scotland was a marvellous effort. We thank everyone who took part in the Glasgow to Edinburgh Canoe Challenge 2015 and an extra special thank you to those who so kindly donated to Kidney Cancer Scotland.”
Karen McNee, Communities Manager for Kidney Cancer Scotland added; “The support Brian and Margaret and all who take part in the Challenge have shown to Kidney Cancer Scotland is wonderful and we thank them very much. Our special thanks go to the ‘Outdoortrax’ team who made a great effort to take part, albeit a week earlier, and raised funds which enable us to support kidney cancer patients in Scotland and across the UK.”
For further information and support on kidney cancer, whether you are a patient, carer or have a family member diagnosed with kidney cancer, visit www.kidneycancerscot.org
If you would like to register for next year’s event, running across October 8-9th 2016, please email Karen McKnee with the subject line; Canoe Challenge 2016.