Tag: Cateran Yomp

Edinburgh lecturer to join hundreds of hikers at Army charity endurance event on D-Day anniversary

Edinburgh lecturer goes for fourth gold in 54-mile charity endurance challenge

Laura Kidd, from Edinburgh, is gearing up to achieve the ultimate challenge – completing the Army Benevolent Fund’s gruelling 24-hour hike, the Cateran Yomp, for the fourth time.

The Cateran Yomp is one of Scotland’s toughest tests of endurance – with participants walking non-stop for 22 (bronze), 36 (silver) or 54 miles (gold) over 24 hours to support soldiers, veterans and their families.

Based on the infamous long-distance military training march, the event attracts people from across the globe to trek the glens and foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains. The Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) is the Army’s national charity and is expecting over 1,200 people to take part in the Yomp which takes place on 6th and 7th June 2026.

Laura is a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and completed her first Yomp in 2019 with her sister, Nina. Laura says: “I wanted to test myself and I liked the idea of being guided around the Cairngorms as I don’t trust my own navigation skills! We both instantly signed up again – having been blown away by the loveliness of the ABF and how well-organised the event was.”

Laura has now bagged a total of three gold medals for completing the full 54 miles of the Yomp, joined first by her sister, and then with friends, Gillian and Gilly, and one of her daughters, Rosie. She has been marching the hills of Edinburgh in preparation for her fourth attempt which she aims to complete in 20 hours.

Hiking through the day and night along the scenic but challenging route along the Cateran Trail is testing for the fittest and hardiest soldier. What keeps participants going is the camaraderie and food and drink along the way and knowing that every step they take is supporting soldiers, veterans and their families.

Laura and her team-mate this year, her school friend, Gilly Thomson, will join others setting off at dawn from Blairgowrie, Perthshire on Saturday 6th June, the anniversary of D-Day, finishing on Sunday 7th June.

The Army Benevolent Fund was set up in 1944 so that servicemen and women returning from WWII would never face the post-war hardships experienced by veterans of the First World War. Its founding purpose remains unchanged today, and the welfare of soldiers, veterans, and their families is at the heart of its work.

Laura says: “It’s hard work! But you meet amazing people on the Yomp. Some might struggle with fitness or have sore knees, but they are doing this for their comrades – and even though it’s brutal, they keep going. I take my hat off to folk that plod on!

“I’ve loved all of the Yomps and I am really looking forward to this year’s event.”

Peter Monteith, Chief Operations Officer, Army Benevolent Fund says: “We are so grateful for the generosity of all our supporters, which enables us to offer a lifetime of support to soldiers, veterans, and their families. 

“On behalf of the Army Benevolent Fund, I would especially like to thank Laura for her dedication to the charity, and to wish her and her team the best of luck at this year’s Cateran Yomp. We look forward to welcoming her to the event in June.”

The ABF is here to support the Army community through life’s challenges – such as bereavement, getting back to work, elderly care, and much more besides. Last year, the ABF supported over 80,000 veterans, soldiers and their families in the UK and 51 countries around the world through its grants to individuals and other charities.

To sign up for the event, visit Army Benevolent Fund: Cateran Yomp – Home. To support Laura’s fundraising for soldiers, veterans and their families, visit: 

https://events.armybenevolentfund.org/fundraisers/laurakidd/cateranyomp2026

Lorna strikes gold in epic Cairngorms challenge

Lorna gets gold at Cateran Yomp endurance event in aid of soldiers, veterans and their families, and is set to become top fundraiser for Army charity

Lorna Coulter from West Lothian has completed one of her toughest challenges yet – the 2025 24-hour Cateran Yomp in Perthshire in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund’s (ABF) support for soldiers, veterans and their families.

She joined nearly 1,100 people gathering in the Cairngorms on Friday 6th June, the anniversary of D-Day, to take on the gruelling endurance event this weekend – walking non-stop for up to 54 miles over 24 hours, to support soldiers, veterans and their families.

Based on the infamous long-distance military training march, the event attracts international participants and supporters from across the UK to hike the scenic but challenging terrain of the historic Cateran Trail in Perthshire. Lorna and her fellow participants faced Scotland’s famous “Four Seasons in a Day” as they trekked through the Trail’s beautiful hills and glens through the day and night for 22, 36, or 54 miles in aid of the Army’s national charity.

The Cateran Yomp is now in its 14th year and, since2011,Yomp participants and sponsors have raised over £5m for the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF). This year’s youngest ‘Yomper’ was aged 16, and the oldest participant was born in August 1944, the same birth month and year as the founding of the charity.

With four Yomps already under her belt, Lorna, 53, was delighted to bag her fifth ‘gold’ at the event by walking with her teammates, Lorna Frame and David Balfour, to complete the full distance.

Lorna and her husband Andrew Coulter, a former officer/soldier NCO in the 1st Battalion, the Irish Guards, are long-term supporters of military charities, and have seen at firsthand the importance of support for those who have served or continue to do so.

This has motivated Lorna to raise over £8,500 for the Army’s national charity – making her the top fundraiser so far for this year’s Yomp. She puts this achievement down to the generosity of her family, friends and colleagues from Edinburgh-based legal firm, Anderson Strathern LLP.

Lorna says: “The Cateran Yomp is special, there’s incredible camaraderie. Veterans often face challenges, particularly with their mental health and some get a raw deal. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s helped me raise funds for the ABF, which gives far-reaching support for veterans, as well as serving soldiers and their families.”

The Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) provides a lifetime of support for soldiers, veterans and their families who are in need or facing hardship. Last year (FY 24/25) it helped over 80,000 people in 52 different countries through its grants to individuals and organisations including Scottish-based charities, Erskine and Bravehound.

Starting from Blairgowrie at 6am on Saturday 7th June and ending in the early hours of Sunday morning, the event challenged teams of brave souls from as far afield as the USA, Georgia, Ukraine, Canada and Denmark, and all over the UK to walk side by side on the 54-mile route around the foothills of the Cairngorms.

The event attracted teams from 40 Scottish, UK and international businesses and was sponsored by Arnold Clark and Blairgowrie- based company Castle Water.  The Cateran Yomp also works with a range of local sponsors who donate gifts in kind for the event, including Gin Bothy.

Reflecting on an incredible weekend, Major General Tim Hyams CB OBE, Chief Executive of the Army Benevolent Fund, said: “At this year’s Cateran Yomp, over 1,000 people, including more than 350 serving soldiers, crossed the start line to walk or run for up to 54 miles in 24 hours across the Cairngorms.

“The Army Benevolent Fund relies on the generosity of our supporters to ensure that soldiers, former soldiers, and their families have the opportunity to avoid hardship and enjoy independence and dignity. 

“The support we receive from individual participants, and the organisations that not only sponsor the Yomp but also encourage their staff to take part, is vital. I am extremely grateful to every single participant; all of whom have demonstrated teamwork as well as mental and physical resilience.  Every single step helps our mission: to be there for soldiers, for life.”

Yompers gathered this year on the anniversary of D-Day before setting off on Saturday 7th June, and the event takes place ahead of VJ Day in August, marking the end of the Second World War in the East.

The Army Benevolent Fund was set up 80 years ago, so that brave servicemen and women would never face the post-war hardships experienced by veterans of the First World War. As thousands of ex-service men and women returned home, the Army Benevolent Fund was there with the help some needed. Its founding purpose remains unchanged today, and the welfare of soldiers, veterans, and their families is at the heart of its work.

There’s still time to show your support for Lorna’s fundraising efforts by donating here: Army Benevolent Fund – Lorna Coulter

Over 1,100 tackle army’s “toughest” 24-hour challenge in support of soldiers, veterans and their families

Endurance event for Army’s national charity began on D-Day anniversary

Over 1,100 people gathered in the Cairngorms on Friday 6th June, the anniversary of D-Day, before taking on their “toughest ever” challenge on Saturday 7th June – walking non-stop for 22, 36, or 54 miles over 24 hours through the Cairngorms, to support soldiers, veterans and their families.

Based on the infamous long-distance military training march, the event attracts international participants and supporters from across the UK to hike the scenic but challenging terrain of the Cateran Trail.

The Cateran Yomp is now in its 14th year and, since2011, Yomp participants and sponsors have raised over £4m for the Army Benevolent Fund, which supports soldiers, veterans and their families. This year’s youngest ‘yomper’ is aged 16, and the oldest participant was born in August 1944, the same birth month and year as the founding of the charity.

Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer of the Army Benevolent Fund, said: “This year is set to be one of the toughest and biggest yet for the Cateran Yomp, in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund.

“The charity relies on the generosity of our supporters to ensure that soldiers, former soldiers, and their families have the opportunity to avoid hardship and enjoy independence and dignity.

“The support we receive from individual participants, the local community and the organisations that not only sponsor the Yomp but also encourage their staff to take part, is vital. Every single step helps our mission: to be there for soldiers, for veterans, and for their families, for life.”

The Yomp attracts a range of participants, including Barry Azzopardi, from Devon, a veteran with a four-decade military career. Barry and his son, James, a former soldier, are taking on the Cateran Yomp for the first time. During the event, they will be marking the loss of Barry’s brother who died, aged 11, in 1971 and never grew up to become the soldier he wanted to be.

Barry says: “It’s fitting that I will be taking part in the Yomp on my brother’s anniversary. I enjoyed my years in the Army, and I feel fortunate to have served and survived unscathed. Now I want to give something back.”

Lauren McLean, a headteacher from Cumbria and her colleagueenjoy taking on physical challenges to support a range of charities and promote healthy lifestyles to their pupils. Both have loved ones who were injured in service and have been supported to rebuild their lives by the Army Benevolent Fund.

Lauren said, “After six months training, we are so looking forward to the Yomp. It will be physically tough and mentally challenging.

“However, it is nothing in comparison to the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made, and we want to support them in any way we can by raising funds for this fantastic charity.”

With four Yomps already under her belt, West Lothian-based Lorna Coulter, is hoping to bag her fifth ‘gold’ by completing the full distance of 54 miles in 24 hours with her teammates. She has so far raised over £8,500 – thanks to the generosity of her family, friends and colleagues. 

Lorna says: “The Cateran Yomp is special, there’s incredible camaraderie. Veterans often face challenges, particularly with their mental health and some get a raw deal.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who’s helped me raise funds for the ABF, which gives far-reaching support for veterans, as well as serving soldiers and their families.”

The Army Benevolent Fund is here to support the Army community through life’s challenges – such as bereavement, getting back to work, elderly care, and much more besides. Last year, the ABF supported over 80,000 veterans, soldiers and their families in the UK and 51 countries around the world through its grants to individuals and other organisations, including several based in Scotland, such as Erskine and Bravehound.

Army veteran, mountaineer and ABF supporter, Mac Mackay, from Dornoch, is this year’s Cateran Yomp Ambassador and will be leading a team of veterans at the Yomp. Mac is the Chair of ABF partner charity, Climb 2 Recovery (C2R), which trains disabled and injured veterans to climb, and to get climbing qualifications.

Mac (69) says: “Without the help of organisations like the ABF, the work that Climb 2 Recovery does with veterans just will not happen.

“Good luck to this year’s Yompers – it’s tough, but the atmosphere gets you to the finishing line. And you will be supporting the Army Benevolent Fund, which is there for soldiers, veterans and their families, facing hardship and need.”

Yompers are gathering this year on the anniversary of D-Day and the event takes place ahead of VJ Day in August, marking the end of the Second World War in the East. The Army Benevolent Fund was set up 80 years ago, so that brave servicemen and women would never face the post-war hardships experienced by veterans of the First World War.

As thousands of ex-service men and women returned home, the Army Benevolent Fund was there with the help some needed. Its founding purpose remains unchanged today, and the welfare of soldiers, veterans, and their families is at the heart of its work.