People of all ages and levels of fitness are being invited to step out in support of local children’s charity The ARCHIE Foundation by embarking on their Marathon March.
Supporters are encouraged to run or walk a mile every day throughout March while gathering sponsorship to help the charity continue its much-needed support during the pandemic.
The concept was dreamed up by ARCHIE’s regional fundraising organiser, Dawn Cowie, as part of a campaign to celebrate 10 years of The ARCHIE Foundation’s support at Raigmore Hospital. Within minutes of sharing Marathon March on social media ARCHIE supporters from across the North and North-east of Scotland were signing up to pledge their support for babies, children and families in their own local areas.
The ARCHIE Foundation was formed in Aberdeen in 2000 to support the build of the new Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, later extending into the Highlands to support the build of Highland Children’s Unit at Raigmore in Inverness and later still into Tayside to support the build of the new Children’s Theatre Suite in Tayside Children’s Hospital at Ninewells in Dundee.
Over the years the charity has added many more elements to the ways in which it supports sick children, their families and the NHS staff and facilities caring for them. As a youngster Ms Cowie herself spent a great deal of time in hospital both at Raigmore and in Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and so has a special appreciation of distance that children have to travel for treatment and of the importance of the charity’s extra support for families during stressful times.
She said: "Some people think that we are just about buildings and equipment but really we’re so much more than that. We support staff with training, parents with the cost of accommodation and ARCHIE’s Toy Service supplies the play departments in each of our regions with toys and other resources to help entertain and support young patients.”
The ARCHIE Foundation relies entirely on voluntary donations and fundraising and the coronavirus pandemic hit the charity hard. ARCHIE recorded a 67% decrease in year on year income in 2020 and is appealing to supporters to rally round and fundraise through things like Marathon March to ensure the charity continue funding its important services.
For more info or to sign up visit https://archie.org/events/marathon-march/