From an early age I have always had a keen interest in golf having played to scratch level.  I also have an interest in most sports including football, athletics, mountain biking volleyball, badminton and general fitness activities.  In recent years I have taken up ultra distance running after entering the Marathon Des Sables.  Having trained for 2 ½ years I successfully completed the event in April 2011, becoming part of an exclusive club of less than 10,000 people who have finished the event.  In tandem with this achievement I raised over £3500 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of my father.  In September 2011 I was awarded a Heart Hero award by British Heart Foundation Scotland for Events Fundraiser of the year, an achievement I am immensely honoured and proud of.

 

Another charity I am involved with is Friends of The Gambia Association who work from the UK to help communities in The Gambia, fund & build new facilities & sponsor the education of children.  I became involved after a visit there last year where I found out about a running event that FoTGA sponsor.  The Brufut Run is organised by the Brufut Marathon Association who use the event to help raise funds to help the local community.  I also support a football academy, Gilkock Football Acadmey, Brufut Branch who work with over 200 children across the children & youth age ranges.  Through MCA I sponsor the football academy and the BMA's running club.


As a result of some of the projects I work with I was given the huge honour to be a part of the London 2012 Olympic Torch relay team when I carried the Olympic flame through Clydebank on the 9th June 2012.


In 2013 I had the idea of setting up a social enterprise (Inspiring Gambians) with a friend so that we can help develop talent and sport in The Gambia.  Through MCA I will support this and the above projects as much as I can.  I believe that business can do more to help with development of social and sporting structures throughout the world.


Further details can be found on my website www.kiltyrunner.co.uk  


I can be found tweeting @kilty_runner