Nic’s Nifty Fifty, the inspiring Kiltwalkers welcoming volunteers at Edinburgh event

  • Nicola Lamb 19 leads fundraising initiative to raise money for children’s cancer charity, ‘It’s good 2 give’
  •  Nicola 19 leads the Edinburgh walk in memory of her older sister Joanna who sadly passed away in 2019 due to bone cancer
  • Nicola is at the forefront of the movement alongside her mother. Angela Lamb who works at Royal Bank of Scotland. Walkers include Royal Bank volunteers
  • As Headline sponsor, Royal Bank of Scotland has a longstanding partnership with Kiltwalk dating back to 2016

TODAY, Nicola Lamb (19), will lead out an inspirational team of volunteers at Edinburgh Kiltwalk, as part of “Nic’s Nifty Fifty”.

Nic’s Nifty Fifty raises funds for children’s cancer charity “It’s good 2 give”, where Nicola works as a fundraising and volunteer recruitment adviser, providing fresh thinking and innovative ideas for the charity.

New for this year, Nicola set up Nic’s Nifty Fifty to walk in memory of her older sister, Joanna Lamb who sadly passed away as a result of bone cancer in 2019 aged 18. Nicola will be joined on the walk by her mother Angela Lamb who works for Headline sponsor, Royal Bank of Scotland. Together they hope to bring together more than 50 volunteers to walk for the charity.

It’s good 2 give supports the physical and mental well-being of young cancer patients and their families in Scotland. The charity delivers vital work in communities across Edinburgh and Glasgow, having recently raised more than £1m to provide specialist psychologists, available through NHS services, to help cancer patients and their families navigate the mental-health challenges presented by a diagnosis.

The charity provides practical assistance through parent and patient packs containing essential supplies for hospital stays such as clothing and personal hygiene products. Recently, the charity introduced a provision of dolls featuring no head hair so that children undergoing cancer treatment can play with a toy that they feel represented by.

The charity also operates the ‘Ripple Retreat’ which offers young cancer patients and their families a chance to unwind during the most challenging of times, in soothing natural surroundings on the shores of Loch Venachar in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Stays at the Ripple Retreat are entirely free, backed by fundraising efforts from volunteers such as Nicola.

Following Joanna’s legacy, parents Angela and Alan Lamb, along with sister Nicola, maintain a very close relationship with the charity, volunteering all year round. Edinburgh’s Kiltwalk provides a fantastic platform to raise awareness and vital funding.

The Joanna Lamb Award for Outstanding Volunteering was created in 2019 to recognise It’s good 2 give volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution. The award was named after Joanna who became the youngest trustee of the charity through her work.

Royal Bank is a longstanding partner of Kiltwalk, Scotland’s largest mass participation walking event. The partnership has seen the bank help the public, colleagues and customers raise funding for charitable causes across Scotland since 2016.

Since its inception, The Kiltwalk, together with Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation, has raised a collective £37m, paid-out to 3,000 Scottish Charities to support vital causes and create a legacy for communities throughout Scotland and beyond.

Registration for Edinburgh Kiltwalk 2023 is open and is set to finish at the iconic Murrayfield Stadium.

Find more information and sign up here. To register for Nic’s Nifty Fifty, simply add “Nic’s Nifty Fifty” as your team name at sign up. To give directly to ‘It’s good 2 give’, visit the JustGiving page here.

Nicola Lamb, Intern, It’s good 2 give said: “The Kiltwalk events are such a brilliant opportunity each year for us to raise money at It’s good 2 give.

“Every good idea needs a name, so I started Nic’s Nifty Fifty to try and get 50 volunteers together to represent the charity at this year’s Kiltwalk. I’m delighted to say we are making great progress and we’re well on track to hit more than double the target! I’d like to welcome anybody who would like to join the team to sign-up. It’s really easy and you just need to put ‘Nic’s Nifty Fifty’ as your organisation at sign-up.

“All of our walks are of course dedicated in memory of my sister Joanna. The Kiltwalk provides a wonderful opportunity to get active, spend time with friends and family and raise money for some brilliant causes.

“I can’t think of a more fitting way to honour my sister’s legacy.”

Chair of the Scotland Board at Royal Bank of Scotland, Judith Cruickshank said: “Every year the enthusiasm for Kiltwalk is made so clear by our staff and colleagues across the country who join thousands of others in remarkable fundraising efforts.

“Royal Bank of Scotland has a long and valued relationship with Kiltwalk, and we are proud to be in partnership with a charity that delivers such vital work in communities throughout Scotland.

“There are so many extraordinary individuals and organisations that come together through these iconic events. The Lamb family provide inspiration for us all and we will continue to support all their charitable efforts together in partnership with Kiltwalk.

“By walking, volunteering and spectating, we hope that everyone this year supports this fantastic event and helps celebrate the impact it makes for those who need it most.”

Scottish wild swimmers take to the sea for sunrise coffee morning

A group of wild swimmers decided to use their chilly hobby to support charity – by holding a coffee morning in the sea!

The group of Edinburgh sea dippers took to the waters at Portobello beach at sunrise and enjoyed some coffee and cakes while getting their daily cold water therapy.

The swimmers hope others will join them by taking part in this years World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on September 24. Although going into the sea is of course optional!

Cold water enthusiast, Lynsey Taylor Pittman said: “I lost both my mum and dad to cancer so I know how important supporting those going through something similar is.

“It was incredibly hard losing my mum when I was only 23 and my Dad just at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Being in lockdown meant I couldn’t see anyone and that was really difficult. I was still allowed my daily exercise so that’s when I took to the sea.

“The benefits both on my physical and mental health are huge for me. Getting into the cold water shocks your system and then it begins releasing all the happy hormones. When you come out you get this euphoria and just like exercise it gets addictive. I have been doing it for 2 years now and I love that we can do it as a group again.

“Getting into the sea with others gives you a real connection and amplifies the feelings. It makes it even more special. The connection with nature and friends is exactly what we all need right now. So, get your coffee and cake and give it a go!”

Macmillan relies almost entirely on donations from the public to fund its services, and since the pandemic hit, has seen its fundraising income drop.

The charity is hoping that after 18-months of cancelled fundraising events, people across Aberdeen will sign up for its World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on September 24.

To find out more about the financial impact of cancer, or to find support please visit www.macmillan.org.uk.

Sign up to host a World’s Biggest Coffee Morning at coffeeregister.macmillan.org.uk

Cancer charity fundraiser at Spartans this Sunday

The Jordan Houston Trust, a charity established in 2012 to support children suffering from cancer and their families, is holding a fundraising family fun day event at Spartans on Sunday.

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Jordan, who died aged eleven from a rare type of brain tumour, was a football fanatic so it’s fitting that the highlight of the family fun day is a match between the Jordan Houston Trust Select and the mighty Hibs (kick off 4pm)!

For further information on the charity visit www.jordanhoustontrust.org

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