HIGHLAND CROSS - the unique coast to coast midsummer charity duathlon
 

 

 

 

About Highland Cross

  • Is a recognised Scottish Charity: SC026679.

  • Is an entirely voluntary organisation.

  • Is a top fundraising athletic event in the Highlands.

  • Is staged on a Saturday around Midsummer's Day in June every year.

  • Funds medical / health / care causes in the North of Scotland.

  • Helps those suffering ill health and disability of all kinds.

  • Has gifted over £5.3 million to local charities in 37 years.

  • Co-founders of the event, Gerry Grant and Calum Munro, were both awarded MBEs in 2016.

The 'Sport for All' Occasion

  • Staging costs of about £40,000 currently are covered mainly by team registration fees and by event sponsors obtained by the organisers.

  • The first event in 1983 was restricted to teams from the local emergency services and ran from Kintail to Inverness, fielding 41 teams (123 competitors).

  • The fastest time: 3 hours, 13 minutes and 31 seconds by Keith Murray, a New Zealand athlete.

  • Only 2 people have completed all 37 Highland Crosses up to 2019: John Talbot from Kyle, and David Rose from Edinburgh (originally from Inverness).

  • Those who have completed 30 or more Highland Crosses:

    

  • James Cameron

  • Phil Cartwright

  • Brendan Docherty

  • Derek Dunn

  • Gay Faulkner

  • Graham Forbes

  • George Fraser

  • Philip Glennie

  • David McPherson

  • John Morrison

  • Iain Morton

  • David Rose

  • Alison Smith

  • Murdo Sutherland

  • John Talbot

  • Brian Urquhart

  • Tony Wall

  • Mark Wilson

  • Jonathan Wotherspoon

  • Those who have completed 20 or more Highland Crosses:

    

  • Gary Angus

  • Alexander Brett

  • Graham Brooks

  • Martin Buchan

  • David Campbell

  • Ivar Campbell

  • Henry Cassie

  • Bruce Christie

  • Helen Cole

  • John Considine

  • James Cooper

  • James Davidson

  • Bill Downie

  • Brian Edment

  • Richard Ferguson

  • Alan Findlay

  • Neil Findlay

  • Duncan Fraser

  • William Fraser

  • Kevin Gallacher

  • Alexander Graham

  • Rosie Hague

  • Mark Hamilton

  • Murray Harper

  • Carole Hawthorn

  • Daniel Hawthorn

  • Martine Hughes

  • Mary Johnson

  • Ian Kerr

  • David Kilshaw

  • Timothy Laing

  • Eric Lawther

  • Alisdair Lonnen

  • Richard Lonnen

  • Linda MacAuslan

  • Andrew MacDonald

  • Brian MacDonald

  • Iain Macdonald

  • Iain MacInnes

  • Eileen Mackenzie

  • Colin MacLean

  • Duncan MacLean

  • James MacLean

  • Roddy MacSween

  • Colin McAndrew

  • Iain McIntyre

  • Blair McKay

  • John McNally

  • David McPhie

  • Sylvia Main

  • John Middleton

  • Robin Mitchell

  • Graeme Moffat

  • Paul Moody

  • Peter Morgan

  • David Munro

  • William Murray

  • David Newbigging

  • Alistair Norrie

  • Deborah Pegg

  • Martyn Pegg

  • Ben Preece

  • Ken Provan

  • Peter Roska

  • Iain Russell

  • Rowland Shallcross

  • Charles Smith

  • John Smith

  • Tom Speirs

  • Elaine Stewart

  • James Sutherland

  • Ian Swann

  • Richard Talbot

  • Charlie Taylor

  • Bill Thomson

  • Michael Thomson

  • Ian Thorburn

  • Alasdair Tollemache

  • Peter Widlof

Fundraising by Teams - Every Penny Counts

  • Each team is asked to raise a minimum of £500 per team.

  • The team average over the past decade has been over £1,100 per team.

  • The highest ever team total was £23,000 raised by a team from the City of London in 1994.

  • £307,566 raised in the 36th year (2018) is the highest total so far.

  • Every penny banked by the teams goes directly to the nominated charities - nothing is deducted for administration, running costs or expenses.

Annual Donations - Buildings

Some examples are:-

  • Highland Hospice - Morvich Ward

  • Raigmore Hospital - Highland Child Development Centre

  • Inverness Hospital Radio - New Studio

  • Hydrotherapy Pools (5) - Drummond School; Ladysbridge Hospital, Banff; Nairn, Lochaber and the Dingwall Puffin Pool.

  • L'Arche, Inverness - Residential Home

  • Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre for the Highlands

Annual Donations - Equipment

Some practical gifts for:-

  • Tape Service for the Blind

  • The "Heart Start" campaign for Defibrillators

  • The Highland Scanner

  • Breathe Easy Highland

  • Crossroads Schemes, Highland

  • Osteoporosis Service in the Highlands

Annual Donations - Transport

Highland Cross has donated over 50 vehicles, mainly adapted mini-buses.  Donors include:-

  • British Red Cross

  • Cantraybridge College

  • Chest Heart and Stoke, Highland

  • Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS)

  • Highland Disability Sport

  • Highland Dyslexia Association

  • Highland Group Riding for the Disabled

  • Highland Blindcraft

  • The Oxygen Works

  • Seaforth House

  • Shopmobility

  • Skye & Lochalsh Mental Health Association

  • SNAP (Special Needs Action Project)

Pace Setter for Sport in Charity Fundraising in the Region

Since 1983 the Highland sporting / charity calendar of events now includes:

Local Heroes
What some entrants have called “50 miles of midsummer magic” is due entirely to the multi-talented army of dedicated volunteers and resourceful organisations in the Safety and Welfare network on the day. They have brought “Highland Hospitality” and good humoured service to a new height. Appreciative teams, happy organisers and very grateful charities are their reward.

Founders of Highland Cross honoured
Gerry Grant and Calum Munro were awarded MBEs in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2016. As many of you will know, Gerry and Calum were co-founders of Highland Cross back in 1983 and both had been involved over the 34 years of running the event. In recent years, Calum has been principal co-ordinator while Gerry is one of the three independent panellists who choose the charities to be supported each year. Each has given tens of thousands of hours of their time voluntarily over the period. Many charities, competitors and volunteers have benefited from their input and are proud to be associated with the event. Highland Cross would not be in existence without these two gentlemen coming up with the idea and we congratulate them on receiving their deserved awards.