A celebration of half a million hours of accident-free working on the North Sea’s Brae Alpha platform and an inspirational youngster behind a Moray charity has prompted a generous £5000 donation.
Marathon Oil agreed to make the donation to The Kiltwalk, which runs six sponsored walk events throughout Scotland on behalf of children’s charities.
The cash donation is the result of a nomination by recently retired chief mechanic on Brae Alpha, David ‘Ali’ Bain, who chose The Kiltwalk because of Keane’s Stars, a small Elgin-based charity inspired by his great-grandson Keane, has benefitted hugely from people taking part in their name.
David said: “My great-grandson Keane is in the process of going blind because of an inoperable brain tumour. The charity “Keane’s Stars” was set up to help other families in similar situations.
“All the family have raised some charity money one way or another, most doing the Kiltwalk at least once. Unfortunately I have always been offshore and unable to take part but the crew who are on board are allowed to nominate a charity – but not many of the guys are interested so I picked it up a few years ago and have raised £27,000 for charity in this way.”
The first Kiltwalk of 2015 takes place on April 12 leaving from Hampden Park and finishing in Balloch Castle Country Park – that will be followed by the Aberdeen Kiltwalk is on June 7 while the Speyside Kiltwalk will set out from Buckie on August 30.
The Kiltwalk’s Head of Corporate Relationships, Gemma Branney, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the donation of £5000 as well as David’s nomination of The Kiltwalk.
“The money will go towards transforming the lives of Scotland’s children in the same way Keane’s Stars have used The Kiltwalk as a vehicle to make a big difference to children with conditions like Keane’s as well as their families.”
For more information about The Kiltwalk visit their website by clicking on www.thekiltwalk.co.uk.