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We did it! The Big Dinner 2 raised enough money to fund 1,500 prosthetic devices.

the BIG dinner 2 The BIG dinner 2

The BIG dinner 2 was the final large-scale fundraiser organised by 500 miles itself. The target of £262,500 – the equivalent of 1,500 average legs, like a below-knee prosthesis – was hit in April 2023. Many thanks to all who donated or took part.

As part of The BIG dinner 2, we collected recipes and kitchen tips from a lot of supporters of 500 miles, many of whom will be well known to you, including Nick Nairn and Rose Murray Brown, the official chef and wine expert of The BIG dinner 2. These have been very popular and we don’t want to lose them, so, you can still access them all, with their videos, on the recipes and tips page.

A still from the film "On My Own Two Feet"

On My Own Two Feet

Olivier Lambert won first prize of £100 at the Fort William Mountain Festival with his film called “On My Own Two Feet” and very kindly donated the prize money to 500 miles. The extremely inspiring film is the story of six amputees, ranging in age from 19 to 64, who set out to climb a 3,000-meter peak in the French Alps.

You can watch it here.

Soroptimist International Coronation Lunch

In May 2023, Pamela Turner of Soroptimist International of Northern England held a pre-coronation lunch in Stannington, near Morpeth. The village hall was beautifully decked out in red, white and blue with gorgeous floral table centres. The guests were treated to quiche with lovely summer salads and a large array of delicious deserts. Through ticket sales and the raffle, the Soroptimists and their friends raised the wonderful sum of £1,375 for 500 miles!

Rotary Club Logo

Gryffe Valley Rotary Club’s Musical Lunch

In October 2022, Alan Watt led Gryffe Valley Rotary Club in putting on a joyous musical extravaganza which raised £2,500 for 500 miles. This sold-out event was very kindly hosted by St Columba’s School in Kilmacolm. After a delicious lunch served by pupils of the school, the club members and their guests were treated to a variety of music and songs from classical to pop music and from favourites from musicals to folk songs.

Helen with an incredible spread for her Garden Party

Helen’s garden parties

In August and September 2022, Helen Lobban – with support from her husband, Gordon, and from our mutual friend, Jean Terry (who makes greetings cards for 500 miles) – hosted two extremely elegant afternoon teas in her beautiful garden. Guests were treated to a wonderful selection of home baking and tea and coffee and many of Jean’s cards and knitted goods were sold. Helen raised an incredible £762.50!

Mike and Kay go for gold

In August 2022, instead of receiving gifts for their golden wedding anniversary, Rotarian, Mike Farley, and his wife, Kay very generously asked family and friends to make a donation to 500 miles and as a result, we received the huge sum of £1,550!

Christine walking for 500 miles

Christine walked Hadrian’s Wall

In July 2022, Christine Percival was as surprised as we were when she discovered half way along Hadrian’s Wall with her daughter, Lynda, that Lynda and her other daughter, Shelley, had opened a fundraising page for 500 miles.

Jim Percival, Christine’s husband, died unexpectedly in November 2020. Jim and Christine have been among our most consistent and generous supporters for many years. We are sure that Jim would have been very proud of Christine and the £1,422.50 she raised!

Nichola with the Proclaimers

Nichola's 500-mile walk

Nichola Maclean has two huge loves – walking and the music of The Proclaimers – and so, in May 2022, to celebrate her 45th birthday, Nichola, is planning to walk 500 miles to raise money for four charities: Argyll Beats Cardiovascular Disease, Scottish Charity Air Ambulance, Worldwide Cancer Research – and, because she heard about us through The Proclaimers’ website, 500 miles.

Nichola originally planned to walk the whole of the NC500 but, due to personal circumstances, her new route will be Tyndrum to John O’Groats and back, taking in only the east coast of the NC500. The total mileage is 503 miles.

Nichola’s birthday is in March but she will walk in May to avoid both the snow and the midges! This plan has been cooking since 2019 to allow enough time for training. Lockdown has intervened and there is some major surgery pending, but this HUGE challenge is still going ahead! You can follow Nichola’s progress on her Facebook page (which is called “Love can move mountains”).

Nichola has already raised £2,428.26 though the auction of bottles of whisky signed by The Proclaimers.

Sylvie up Mount Kilimanjaro

Sylvie Grenon’s Project Kilimanjaro and Beyond

In March 2022, Sylvie Grenon climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania for 500 miles.  Not content with that, Sylvie extended her challenge and has now set out to complete a 500-mile walk by the end of May 2022. She has already raised £1,168.

Please visit her fundraising page if you would like to support her.

Edinburgh revisited book cover

Edinburgh Revisited Relaunch

In January 2022, photographer, Gordon Hunter and poet, Don Ledingham, relaunched Edinburgh Revisited which is their inspired and inspiring exhibition of a series of evocative poems about classic landmarks and places in Edinburgh illustrated by stunning black and white photographs, all of which are compiled into a beautiful coffee table book. Edinburgh Revisited ran at the Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh from 15th January to 5th February 2022.  All proceeds from the sale of prints of the photograph/poem combinations and of the book were shared between 500 miles and Leuchie House in North Berwick and 500 miles received £2,650!

You can still buy the prints and the book at the Edinburgh Revisited website

Wayne Davidson

Wayne Davidson’s 500 miles for 500 miles

Wayne Davidson has been a member of the British Army since he was 19.  He has personal experience and knowledge of the physical and mental devastation bombs and improvised explosive devices can cause to human beings.  Wayne lived and grew up in Malawi until he was 18 and has also seen at first hand the challenges many poor Malawians with disabilities face just to live their lives.  And so Wayne decided to raise money for both 500 miles and the Felix Fund. In the 6 weeks between 11th November and 23rd December 2021, Wayne walked 500 miles for 500 miles raising £1,750 – over three times his target – in the process.

He now plans to take on a further series of walking challenges culminating in a 500-mile walk in 30 days in Malawi in November/December 2022. This is his fundraising page for 500 miles.

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