Great Scottish Events | 1968 - 2020

Over fifty years of Fundraising – Running-Walking-Strolling & Toddling

How it all began

Terry was a Royal Navy Physical Training Instructor attached to the 1st Frigate Squadron on board HMS Dido visiting South Africa when he decided to enter a ships team into the Cape Town Big Walk. Walking 22.5 miles from Simonstown to Cape Town that was November 1967.

Terry left the Royal Navy in 1968 and settled in Edinburgh. He approached the Edinburgh Evening News about sponsorship of a walk. The Edinburgh Evening News agreed and was main sponsor from the inaugural walk in Edinburgh in December 1968 until 1996.

The Great Scottish Walk & Run Festival

After the Edinburgh Evening News’ sponsorship of the event ended in 1997 (due to a takeover of The Scotsman Publications) Terry took his first year off from the Walk, but he was still busy making preparations for the re-launch of the event. The Walk, now called The Great Scottish Walk was launched by the Princess Royal in January 1999 at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Over the next few years, this event went from strength to strength and became what is now the annual Great Scottish Walk & Run Festival.

The Edinburgh Christmas Charity Festival

In 2007 a second event was added, The Edinburgh Christmas Charity Festival. This event has become a big part of the Edinburgh Christmas calendar with the very popular Santa Parade, Charity Festival Marquee, Santa’s Grotto and the Edinburgh Christmas Runs.

The Great Scottish Tattie Run & The Great Perthshire Tattie Run

Over the past four years, two novel events have been growing in popularity The Great Scottish Tattie Run & The Great Perthshire Tattie Run (Tattie is a Scottish word for potatoes). In 2019 over 1700 tattie runners took part in these events. See this website for full details for the 2021 Tattie Runs.

Fundraising

Participants in all of the Great Scottish Events can fundraise for one of the Great Scottish Events Charity Partners or their own charity. After paying the entry fee, all monies raised is directly donated by the participants to their chosen charity or good cause. Alternatively participants can just take part.