Delighted to be delivering the happy news that, as the event celebrates its fifth anniversary, the Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp has raised £400,000 for ABF The Soldiers Charity in 2015, Polly Murray, the first Scottish woman to climb Everest said: “The adrenaline rush 600 people are enjoying right now, knowing they have achieved their personal goals and contributed so much to this important charity, in my experience is something that will stay with them for a very long time.”
152 teams and a total of 600 competitors including 217 serving soldiers and veterans trekked 22 miles, 36.5 miles or the full leg-sapping 54 miles around Scotland’s historic Cateran Trail in just 24 hours, a trail the Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust would recommend taking 5 days to complete. A combined 16,000 miles at an average rate of 60,000 steps per competitor delivered a cumulative 36 million steps.
Yomping home in first place in a time of 10 hours and 43 minutes were Army Reserves from 1ISR Brigade, the Army\'s Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance specialists. A spokesperson said “this is the first time the new 3 Witches Racing Team has
taken part in the Cateran Yomp and we achieved what we came here to do, which is take the Gold medal back with us. Our team motto ‘Something wicked this way cometh’ kept our focus.
While a day’s ‘yomp’, a military term for a long distance march represents a typical shift for professional soldiers; it is a major test for both civilian ‘yompers’ and seasoned outdoor adventurers alike.
But unlike everyday soldiers, this ‘Cateran Army’ swapped ration tins for indulgent pick me ups to consume en route including boar burgers, cheeseboards, local strawberries and fruit smoothies.
This annual event has raised a grand total of £1.5 million for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the Alliance Trust Staff Foundation, which directs funding to community groups, local charities and voluntary organisations, nominated and voted for by Alliance Trust staff.
Always present with encouragement and expert advice, this year’s Cateran Ambassador Polly Murray, a qualified Alpine ski instructor and former presenter of the BAFTA award- winning children’s TV show Serious, said: “The Cateran Yomp route is literally on my doorstep and takes in an area which was my childhood playground. As a passionate advocate of the social and fitness benefits of getting people out into the great outdoors and as someone who considers Perthshire to be unmatched when it comes to quality of life and breathtaking scenery, the Yomp is an event I support wholeheartedly and look forward to again next year.”
Major General Martin Rutledge, Chief Executive, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in this unique weekend for offering their time, money and spirit to the Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp. The Yomp is now our largest fundraising event in Scotland and its success is down to their generosity, hard work and determination. This support and funds raised will make a real difference to the lives of Service people and their families in Scotland and across the UK. The need is not diminishing as our service personnel have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, with many needing our help more than ever.”
David Fox-Pitt, Director of Wildfox Events said: “I’m so proud to be a part of this annual endurance event which brings hundreds of people together in a common cause to get fit, get outdoors and raise money. We hope everyone has enjoyed the adventure and will put 11 June 2016 in their calendars for next year.”
Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chief Executive of the Alliance Trust said: \"The fundraising efforts from each of the 600 participants in this year\'s Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp have been outstanding. This weekend we saw determination, high performance, laughter, tears and teamwork from everyone committed to completing the Yomp outdoors challenge and raising money for charity. The Cateran Yomp is now the biggest fundraising event in Scotland for ‘ABF The Soldiers Charity’ and continues to provide vital support for local Tayside charities through the ‘Alliance Trust Foundation’.\"
Next year’s Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp will take place on 11 June 2016. Visit www.soldierscharity.org/yompfor more information or ‘like’ facebook.com/CateranYomp
Alliance Trust PLC
Alliance Trust aims to be a core equity holding for investors that delivers a real return over the long term through a combination of capital growth and a rising dividend. The Company invests primarily in global equities across a wide range of industries and sectors to achieve its objective.
