Celtic FC Foundation and Mary’s Meals are delighted to announce a brand new fundraising initiative, Miles for Meals, which will take place from June 9-11, 2022.
The event will involve a three-day trek, starting from where it all began for Mary’s Meals – ‘The Shed’ in Dalmally, Argyll and Bute – and ending at Paradise, the home of Celtic FC. Along the way, participants will join a large section of the West Highland Way, making this a wonderful scenic trek of around 60 miles.
In line with the vision of the club’s Founding Fathers, at Celtic FC Foundation we aim to help those living in poverty through a range of initiatives targeting hunger, employability, social inclusion and education, through delivery of a host of needs-led projects.
Mary’s Meals began 20 years ago when Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow visited Malawi and met a dying mother, Emma, and her children. Her eldest son, Edward, told him: “I want to have enough food to eat and to go to school one day.” Magnus founded Mary’s Meals after hearing these words.
From humble beginnings collecting donations in a small shed in Dalmally, Mary’s Meals will today feed more than 2.2million children with its nutritious school meals. The charity has a long-standing partnership with Celtic FC Foundation.
A key element of this relationship saw the building of 67 kitchens throughout Malawi and Zambia, thanks to funds raised as part of the 2017 #LionsLegacy campaign, with these Foundation Kitchens helping to ensure nutritious meals are served to almost 45,000 hungry children every day.
Celtic FC Foundation and Mary’s Meals have also worked closely in recent years as Foundation volunteers provided vital assistance at schools in Malawi and Zambia, as part of our overseas volunteer trips.
However, due to the impact of the COVID pandemic, we are unable to travel to Africa in 2022 but are thrilled to have once again joined forces with Mary’s Meals for this exciting new Miles for Meals event. Funds raised will be shared equally, with net proceeds devoted to supporting the work of both organisations in alleviating food poverty, locally and internationally.
Miles for Meals participants will depart on the morning of Thursday, June 9, 2022, setting off by coach from Celtic Park to ‘The Shed’ in Dalmally, where they will officially begin the trek. Leaving from there, they will spend three days walking through Scotland’s scenic hills and trails, joining the West Highland Way and arriving back at Celtic Park on foot on the evening of Saturday, June 11, 2022.
To participate in the Miles for Meals trek, participants must commit to raising a minimum of £500 (after entry fee) in support of the work of Celtic FC Foundation and Mary’s Meals. Upon registration we will provide a sponsorship pack and all participants will receive a Miles for Meals fundraising T-shirt.
Registration is now open HERE and the non-refundable registration fee is £50 per person. Participants must be aged 18 or over on the day of departure. Please ensure you read the TERMS AND CONDITIONSthoroughly, before registering.
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, upon confirmation of your registration and receipt of your registration fee.
The trip will include:
- One-way coach travel from Glasgow to Dalmally
- Shared allocated accommodation (twin, triple or quadruple rooms) on Days 1 and 2 (please note, we will endeavour to place those who sign up in pairs/groups together where possible but cannot guarantee this)
- Dinner on Days 1 and 2 and breakfast on Days 2 and 3
- Lunch, snacks and emergency supplies whilst on the trek
- Supervision for the duration from WildFox Events, who will lead the trek and provide support vehicles
- Safety walkers for the duration
- Mandatory online safety meeting with training instructions
Itinerary (subject to change):
Day 1: Thursday, June 9 – 16 Miles
Meet at Celtic Park in the morning and travel to ‘The Shed’ in Dalmally, to visit where Mary’s Meals was formed. After an early lunch, set off to Inverarnan where accommodation and dinner will be provided.
Day 2: Friday, June 10 – 23 Miles
Walk to meeting point at Ardleish, joining the West Highland Way and continuing down to Drymen. A support stop half-way down will provide lunch and some much needed rest. Accommodation and dinner will be provided in Drymen.
Day 3: Saturday, June 11 – 21 Miles
Leave Drymen and head through Milngavie towards Celtic Park. There will be a support stop on the way, followed by a visit to St Mary’s Church, Calton where Celtic FC was formed, before arriving at Celtic Park that evening.
Miles for Meals promises to be a wonderful new initiative in support of the vital work of Celtic FC Foundation and Mary’s Meals and we look forward to a host of supporters of both charities joining us.
If you are interested in taking part you can register HERE or if you have any further questions please call 0141 551 4321 or email [email protected]
