A construction manager who helped build Maggie’s Aberdeen is set to cycle 500 miles in just 48 hours to raise funds for the cancer support charity - starting and finishing his route at the very centre he helped create.
Douglas Glen, still a senior project manager in the construction industry, will embark on a gruelling solo ride on Saturday, August 2, covering all eight Maggie’s cancer support centres across Scotland within just 48 hours.
His journey begins in Granite City – a place close to his heart after he played a key role in the construction of the Maggie’s centre on the Foresterhill site back in 2012.
Now 47, Mr Glen continues to work in construction and is also the founding chairman of Montvélo Cycling Club in his hometown of Montrose. Since its inception in 2017, the club has grown to over 100 members and this year proudly chose the Maggie’s centres in Aberdeen and Dundee as its charity of the year. Together, the club is aiming to raise £10,000 by the end of 2025.
“This challenge felt like the perfect way to do my bit for Maggie’s and support our club’s fundraising efforts for this year. Cycling 500 miles in 48 hours, taking in all eight Scottish centres, and tackling plenty of inclines along the way, is no small task - but it’s nothing compared to the challenges faced by people living with cancer every day,” said Mr Glen.
“After a shoulder injury last year, this fundraising goal gave me the motivation to fully recover, get back on the bike, and train hard. I’m proud to be starting the ride in Aberdeen, where I worked on building the Maggie’s centre back in 2012, and to be supporting a cause that means so much to so many of us at Montvélo Cycling Club."
The planned route past the eight centres will take Mr Glen from Aberdeen, then on to Dundee, Fife, Edinburgh, Forth Valley, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, and Inverness before finishing back at the Granite City on Monday, August 4.
Maggie’s centres provide free cancer support and information to people living with cancer, as well as their families and friends. The North-east and Tayside centres boast warm and welcoming spaces, based in the grounds of NHS hospitals, where visitors can receive emotional, practical, and psychological support from expert staff.
Richard Stewart, fundraising manager at Maggie’s Aberdeen, said: “We’re so grateful to Douglas for taking on such a remarkable challenge in support of Maggie’s. This is an incredible feat, and it’s inspiring to see someone who has such a personal connection to our Aberdeen centre giving back in this way. Every penny raised will help us continue to provide free cancer support to people and families across the North-east and Tayside when they need it most. The dedication of fundraisers like Douglas ensures Maggie’s can continue to provide life-changing support every day.”
To support Mr Glen help raise vital funds for Maggie’s Aberdeen and Dundee, please visit his Just Giving page to donate -https://www.justgiving.com/page/douglas-glen-2