ARCHIVE NEWS

 

JOE EDNIE

Joe Ednie, 1938 – 2008

Highland Cross is saddened to acknowledge the death of one of its support community.

Joe Ednie will be known to many participants as the “Traffic Warden” at the end of the bridge just after the Changeover Point as the cycle route joins the public road at the top of Strathglass.

Joe had been doing this job for so many years we could not work out quite when he started!  Joe came to support the Cross through his huge love of and great involvement with Scouting.  Many of the support folk in the Affric Quarry have a connection with Scouting and when The Scout Fellowship started to help at the quarry, Joe offered his services and eventually claimed the “Traffic Warden’s” job as his.  Joe had skills and talents way beyond the humble role he discharged at Affric and he applied them masterfully to his task. He brought considerable charm to defusing situations with motorists who set off up peaceful Glen Affric to find it not only taken over by hundreds of brightly clad folk, helicopters and cycles but he then managed to “sugar the pill” when they found out that they were going to be “locked into” Affric for the remainder of the day!

He was content to sit in lonely splendour, irrespective of the weather and the midges, linked to the remainder of the event only by a radio and a regular supply of bacon rolls brought down from the Changeover Point.  Not a man noted for personal athleticism he greatly admired the efforts of those who took part and always had an encouraging word for all the passing participants.  On the Adventure Show television coverage of the Cross this year Joe can be heard, out of shot, offering support to passing folk as they leave the bridge.

Two weeks after the Cross he phoned the Organisers with his list of observations for the Event Debrief.  Meticulous and insightful he had a concise list of items for consideration.  Unknown to us, just days before, Joe had received the crushing diagnosis of his condition. Ever supportive of others he was keen to complete his task and make his report irrespective of the cruel hand that fate had dealt to him.

Highland Cross could not take place without the wonderful community of folk that come together to actually make it happen. The successful delivery of the Cross is their achievement, Joe was a valued part of that community and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

CM

 

HIGHLAND CROSS 2008

HIGHLAND CROSS 2008 - £174,213 raised in 2008, another new fundraising record!

 

Since 1983, Highland Cross has now raised over £2.5 million!

 

The 4 main charities to benefit were:

  • Children 1st received £34,000 to complete their family centre at Killen on the Black Isle.

  • New Start Highland - Tenant Support Scheme received a vehicle to allow them to move trainees and materials.

  • Shopmobility Dingwall received a specially adapted minibus to transport clients wheelchairs.

  • Shopmobility Lochaber received a specially adapted vehicle to allow them to extend their service into the remote and rural parts of Lochaber.

14 other charities are currently being issued with cheques for smaller amounts, totalling over £37,000.

 

The organisers wish to thank all those who helped in any way to achieve this record figure.

 

HIGHLAND CROSS 2007

£173,806 raised by participants this year! An all time record for Highland Cross!

 

The participants in Highland Cross 2007 have done an outstanding fundraising job and broken the previous fundraising record by over £30,000!

 

The main charities who all received vehicles to support their work are:

  • Visual Impairment Services Highland

  • Inverness Handyperson’s Scheme

  • Highland Hospice

  • Ballachulish Abbeyfield Society

The National Trust for Scotland are also receiving 8 specialist powered scooters to allow disabled people to access NTS properties in the North of Scotland.

 

As well as the vehicles and scooters, over £40,000 is being distributed in smaller grants to various charities across the North of Scotland.

 

The organisers once again wish to thank everyone involved with the event - the competitors, the sponsors and all the volunteers who came together to make the event happen.

 

HIGHLAND CROSS 2006

Record fundraising year for the Highland Cross!

 

Highland Cross competitors have raised £141,240, a new record figure.  This has enabled the four principal charities for 2006 to benefit as follows:

  • L'Arche Inverness has received £33,000 to purchase specialist equipment for their new workshop facilities.

  • Disability Snowsport has received a specially adapted minibus.

  • Cameron House are receiving a specially adapted minibus.

  • Ross-shire Special Needs Playscheme are receiving a specially adapted minibus.

In addition to the primary causes, the participants' success will allow a range of other causes to benefit with donations of smaller sums.

 

The Organisers wish to thank everyone involved in making this happen - the competitors, all those individuals and companies who sponsored them, the volunteers who turn out each year to help with staging the event and all sponsors and supporters of the Highland Cross.

 

HIGHLAND CROSS 2005

Highland Cross breaks the £2 million barrier!

 

Over £134,000 raised again by participants this year!

 

The participants in Highland Cross 2005 have done an outstanding fundraising job and once again raised a tremendous sum for Highland Charities.

  • Eden Court Theatre received £35,000 to enhance facilities for disabled patrons and performers

  • Chest Heart and Stroke received £40,000 to expand their Survivors of Stroke service across Highland including providing a base in Lochaber

  • Shopmobility Highland received £36,000 to purchase specialist equipment for their outreach activities.

In addition to the primary causes, the following charities have also benefited through the donation of smaller sums:

  • Barnardos’ Springboard

  • Caberfeidh Horizons

  • Family Mediation Highland 

  • Highland Developmental Co-ordination Disorder Group

  • Highland Homeless Trust

  • MS Therapy Centre

  • Nairn Sports Medicine Clinic

  • Partnerships for Wellbeing

 

HIGHLAND CROSS 2004

Highland Cross 2004 - Over £134,000 raised by participants!

  • Lochaber Hydrotherapy Pool Appeal have received £45,000.

  • Highland Heartbeat Appeal have received £45,000.

  • Seaforth House Respite Centre Vehicle Appeal have received a specially converted bus to allow the centre to transport patients to events.

In addition to the primary causes, some of the other charities to benefit are:

  • Scottish Society for Autism's Highland Office - £2,500 for audio visual aids for their outreach work.

  • Uphill Ski Club - £5,000 to buy special ski sleds for disabled skiers.

  • Age Concern in Ross-shire - £2,500 to buy exercise equipment for mobility classes for older people in Ross-shire.