WALK ALONGSIDE SCOTTY’S MEMBERS. JOIN SCOTTY’S MARCH.
Scotty’s March is our biggest fundraising event of 2023 and a brand-new challenge for our supporters to take on in aid of bereaved military children. With three distance options available and your choice of how to cover them, this challenge is great for all ages and abilities. Everyone can get involved, including our Scotty Members themselves!
Show your support for bereaved military children and young people and walk alongside members like Alex, Josh and Sam from Scotty’s Springboard Council, who have collectively agreed to take part and help raise funds for the charity that supports them.
Left to right: Scotty members Josh, Alex, Brooke and Sam
Date: Saturday 23rd September 2023
Location: Henley-on-Thames
Distance: 10km/25km/50km
Apply by: 19th August 2023
Registration Fee: FREE
Minimum Fundraising: £200 - £400
Why take on Scotty’s March?
18-year-old Joshua Kirkham has been supported by Scotty’s Little Soldiers since 2014, and now plans to take on Scotty’s March as a way of giving back to charity that has supported him. His dad, LCpl Christopher Bradshaw, died in a car accident in 2011. Josh was just six years old.
“We want to help raise some money and support the charity that supports us,” says Josh. “I’m part of the Scotty’s Council, and a load of us have agreed to sign up and do it together as a team. I think it’s great there’s something like the Scotty’s March, which makes giving back fun and super accessible. I feel like anyone can get involved in the march, regardless of their age or fitness level.”
Josh on the set of Sky Sports
Like Josh, 21-year-old Alex Thomas is a member of Scotty’s Council. His dad, Major David Michael Thomas, served in the REME before dying of cancer in 2006. Alex was four at the time.
He said: “Scotty’s Council have collectively decided that we'll all do it together to raise money and give something back. It should also be a good chance to see each other in person again and keep building those bridges we started making at the Sky weekend, back in April.”
20-year-old Sam Ruddlesdin, another member of the Scotty’s Council, will also be taking on the march. Sam’s hero, SAC Richard Hannis, died whilst serving in 2009. Sam was six years old.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back together with the other Springboarders and raising some awareness for Scotty’s,” said Sam. “It’s an important cause and I like to know that I'm helping.”
Alex, Sam and Josh discussing ideas at the Springboard Council Sky weekend
Complete it your way
Participants can choose to take on 10K, 25K or 50K, and are able to cover the distance however they choose – whether that’s walking, running or anything in between. This means anyone can join and is great for people like Alex, who wouldn’t be able to take part in a traditional race.
“I broke my ankle while playing football recently, so I’ll be walking it,” he says. “I was going to spend some time training to try and run it, but I don’t think I have that option now! My foot is about the size of a bus. I’m doing sports coaching at university and am currently a P.E. teacher, so it’s not a great injury to be dealing with.”
Josh says: “I know some people are keener on running than others, but I fancy myself to run it. I think we’ll probably split into two groups, with walkers sticking together and the runners sticking together.”
Sam says: “I’ve never done anything like this before. Not once. I’m keeping it simple and walking the 10K.”
Sam getting camera-ready
Choose your difficulty
Since participants choose their own distance and how they to cover it, Scotty’s March works both as an entry point both for newcomers to long-distance challenges and a chance for fitness fanatics to test themselves in the beautiful Chiltern countryside.
“I’m more used to doing team events and cardiovascular work – not a massive amount of long-distance stuff, so I’m really looking forward to it,” says Alex. “My ankle will still be recovering, but I’m planning to get a bit of practise in on the treadmill, going through different intensities, so that when the march rolls around my body will have readjusted a little bit.”
Sam, Alex and Josh looking over the videos they recorded at Sky HQ
Josh says: “I took part in a run for Scotty’s a few years ago, back when I was 12 or 13. I managed about 8k and enjoyed it. Scotty’s March sounded like a good opportunity to give it another go. Fingers crossed I’m still fit enough!”
Additionally for Josh, taking on an endurance event like Scotty’s March reminds him of his dad, who was a keen runner and enjoyed going on regular long-distance runs.
“Mum told me how Dad always used to call himself ‘fit for a fat man’ and we still have all his marathon medals. Because of that, I did cross country in school and always used to volunteer to run during competitions. It was nothing compared to the distances he used to go, but I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to getting stuck back in.”
The Springboard Council brainstorming
Get your friends involved
As well as being a great way to test your endurance, Scotty’s March is our ONLY in-person group fundraising event of the year, which means it’s the perfect chance to have fun with friends.
“The main thing I’m looking forward to is seeing the council again and catching up with everyone,” says Alex. “Hopefully it should be good weather, too. I think it will also feel like a bit of a milestone for me, being able to recover from this ankle injury and then do a 10K walk. It’ll feel like a proper personal achievement.”
Sam says: “It’s always nice to have people around who get you, and being part of the council also lets me see what’s going on inside Scotty’s. I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone.”
Josh is also looking forward to seeing his friends from Scotty’s again: “Scotty’s March is the next time I'll probably get to see everybody from the Scotty’s Council again, which I’m really looking forward to. We all keep in contact, but it’ll be good to meet up with everyone in person.”
Scotty's Springboard Council
What is Scotty’s Springboard Council?
A group of Scotty’s members aged 18-25 have formed Scotty’s Springboard Council. They meet up throughout the year to provide input into the charity, providing ideas and suggestions on the support they feel bereaved military young people will benefit from the most. The council acts as the voice of bereaved military children and young adults within the charity, but also externally.
Springboarder Tuscany getting used to the camera
Supporting bereaved military children
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a tri-service charity dedicated to supporting children and young people (0 to 25 years) who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott, following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity, which was set up in 2010, provides support and guidance to hundreds of bereaved military children and young people throughout their childhood.
Services offered to Scotty’s members include access to child bereavement support, guidance to parents and carers, personal education and learning assistance (including grants), and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone.
