Sponsored Shetland Walk Raises Thousands for Charity

Crewmembers of Serco NorthLink Ferries’ MV Hjaltland vessel have successfully raised more than £2,500 for Crohn's & Colitis UK following a sponsored walk across Shetland.

Kathryn Fullerton, who is the Shop Supervisor on board the passenger vessel, led 13 of her fellow crewmates as well as seven of her friends along the six mile route from Lerwick to Scalloway on Sunday 04 June.

Speaking of the fundraising success, Kathryn said: “We are all extremely pleased with the amount raised from the sponsored walk. Crohn’s & Colitis UK is a fantastic charity and we have all worked really hard to not only fundraise but to also bring awareness of the great work that the organisation does.

“I would like to thank everyone who took part in the walk, sponsored us or donated time and money including the Scalloway Hotel who provided all of the walkers with a well-earned lunch at the end of the walk.”

The sponsored walk forms part of the crewmembers’ yearlong fundraising activities for Crohn’s & Colitis UK which is the chosen charity for 2017 and follows last year’s fundraising success for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.

The team will continue to raise money over the coming months with a series of events including a fundraising event in Scalloway in October and a grand raffle at the turn of the year.

Sam Afhim, Director of Income Generation at Crohn’s & Colitis UK, added: “We are very grateful to Kathryn and her hardworking friends and crewmates for their support. It’s a great pleasure to work with them and we look forward to seeing the future fundraising events unfold.

“We’re the UK’s leading charity for fighting these illnesses and we rely massively on the support of groups like this to ensure we can provide our vital services to over 300,000 sufferers of Crohn’s Disease, Colitis and other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The money raised will go towards achieving a better quality of life for those with the conditions, improve services, and ultimately find a cure.”

Crohn’s and Colitis UK is the leading UK charity in the battle against Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Symptoms can include diarrhoea (often with blood), severe pain, extreme fatigue, and dramatic weight loss. This means one in 210 people are living with these unpredictable, life-long and potentially life-threatening conditions.  

For more information about NorthLink Ferries or to make a booking, visit www.northlinkferries.co.uk or call 0845 6000 449.

Ends