Copyright shetlandtimes
A birthday half-marathon run in memory of family members has raised more than £5,000 for a charity that gives unpaid carers a break. Jimmy Nicolson said he was “delighted” with the impressive total he raised by running the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow last month. Mr Nicolson completed the run on his 43rd birthday, Sunday, 5th October, raising funds for the Shetland Care Attendant Scheme (SCAS). “I think doing the run on the day of my birthday captured the imagination, and it was also for a very good local cause,” he said. “Thanks to everyone for their generosity and a special mention to Aith Charity Shop for their generous donation.” Mr Nicolson, who lives in Aith, said he did the run in memory of his father and uncle. He also chose to raised funds for SCAS as a thanks for the support the charity provided to his family in their time of need. “Their valuable service gives unpaid carers in Shetland a much-needed break,“ he added. The run was also exactly 10 years after his previous charity run, when he completed the half-marathon in 1hr 52mins. On his latest outing, Mr Nicolson had his niece and nephew, who had travelled across from Edinburgh, where they are studying, cheering him on. Some of his Shetland friends had also planned to travel down to watch the race and celebrate his birthday but their flights were cancelled due to Storm Amy. SCAS was recently rated “very good” by the Care Inspectorate with families describing its staff as “lifesavers”. Inspectors praised staff for being “warm, professional, and caring” and creating an environment where people felt “valued and supported”. Staff at SCAS were highlighted as a “key strength” in the report. The charity’s annual general meeting also highlighted the community support it had received, including more than £10,000 through donations and fundraising, That was before Mr Nicolson made his donation of £5,007.50. Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.
