Two fundraisers take on a 20-mile sponsored walk on behalf of young people with sight loss
This August on Sunday 20, two fundraisers take on a 20-mile sponsored walk. The Kiltwalk is an annual multi-city event allowing anyone to raise funds for the charities and causes they care about. Reece Watt (24) and Anna MacKenzie (48) will be embarking on the Dundee Kiltwalk to raise funds for Haggeye, a young persons’ campaign forum organised by national sight loss charity, RNIB Scotland.
As a Haggeye member, Reece says, “I’ve had the opportunity to meet a number of other young people with sight loss through Haggeye. We’ve run several successful campaigns over the years, the aim of which has been to help improve the lives of those with a visual impairment. We focus on issues that matter to young people, such as access to education, employment opportunities and independent living.”
During the 20-mile walk in tartan, Reece, will be guided by Anna who has been his Support Worker for six years, “The young people I’ve met in Haggeye are all positive change-makers, whose voices deserve to be heard, and have the potential to influence change for those with sight-loss.”
She adds, “A particularly memorable time for me, was seeing Reece give a talk at the RNIB Transitions Day at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh. This was a wonderful opportunity for Reece to share his own experiences of attending college, with the pupils at the school. I considered this to be a great achievement, but also it was wonderful seeing how the young students looked up to him, as a role model and mentor, and how patient, positive, and encouraging he was of the younger pupils at the school.
“I am looking forward to the challenge of walking 20 miles, and I hope this day will provide a huge sense of achievement for Reece, prior to him starting university this year.”
All Kiltwalk funds raised by Reece and Anna will go to supporting young people with sight loss in Scotland.
Haggeye provides a friendly and supportive environment which allows young people to raise awareness of what it's like to be blind or partially sighted in Scotland today. The forum enables its members to campaign for change, influence the provision of services, meet new people and make new friends, and discuss and share issues of concern with them.
* You can support Reece and Anna’s Kiltwalk for Haggeye here:
Reece: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/reece-watt1
Anna: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/anna-mackenzie12
