13 Caithness causes to benefit from Team Tender memorial cycle challenge
A total of 13 local charities have enjoyed a funding boost thanks to the efforts of Team Tender.
Wick men Arthur Bruce, Wull MacDonald and David Oman raised £6500 after undertaking a charity cycle in memory of their friend Donald McWilliam (Tender) who passed away three years ago.
The fundraiser is an annual event and this year was a 50-mile “Three Harbours Challenge” from Latheron to Wick via Scrabster in September.
Wull and Arthur have been undertaking charity challenges for almost two decades, initially alongside Tender and latterly with David, with support in recent years from fellow Wickers Neil Pellow and Evan Center.
So far they have handed over around £47,000 to local good causes.
Benefitting this time round were North Highland Cancer Information and Support Centre, the Wick branch of the RNLI, Encompass Caithness, Caithness Heart Support Group, Caithness branch of Riding for the Disabled, Caithness General Hospital’s X-ray department, Wick Paths Group, the Healing Hub, Caithness KLICS, Community Respiratory Nurse Team, Friends of New Craigs Hospital, Caithness FM Christmas Toy Appeal and Caithness Mental Health Support Group, which all received £500.
As well as the cycle, money also came from an online fundraiser - administered by Colin Stewart of Caithness Print Solutions - for two special edition bottles of whisky kindly donated by Wolfburn Distillery.
As usual, all who donated were given the opportunity to guess the time the cycle would take. The £60 prize, donated by the cyclists, was won by Mary Turnball who was closest to the three hours, 51 minute time.
Wull said Team Tender continues to be grateful for the support and goodwill shown by members of the public and local businesses.
“We are always bowled over by the generosity of people in Caithness,” he said.
“Even though times have been hard with the cost-of-living crisis, people have been willing to support us and nowhere has this generosity been more on show than when we have been collecting in Tesco Wick, B&M and the bowling clubs.
“We cannot thank people enough for their support.”
Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the men’s first charity challenge - a three-day Caithness and Sutherland cycle covering 167 miles.
But in 2025 they are considering something a little bit different - getting out of the saddle and donning their hiking boots for a charity climb up Ben Nevis.
