Steven Mackay, former Ross County and Brora Rangers footballer, making a 'life-changing' difference to children with 10-day NC500 run
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Endurance runner Steven Mackay has been praised for making a "life-changing" difference to children and families across the north through his latest long-distance fundraising challenge.
Steven (40) is aiming to raise £50,000 for MFR Cash for Kids by completing the entire North Coast 500 route in 10 days.
The former Ross County and Brora Rangers footballer, who is now assistant manager of Elgin City, is effectively running two marathons each day and is being joined by other runners for parts of the journey.
He set off from Inverness Cathedral on Friday and reached Wick on Saturday night.
Steven, accompanied by fellow runner Seana Forbes, headed to John O'Groats on Sunday before continuing along the north coast.
Among those greeting him at Groats was eight-year-old Pebbles Sawyer, from Spittal, Caithness, who has spina bifida. Steven’s fundraising for Cash for Kids last year meant the charity was able to purchase a specialist all-terrain wheelchair for the youngster.
Her new wheelchair allows her to visit the beach, venture out in snow and even go into the water, as it floats.
Pebbles – who has her own fundraising page – completed a short section of the route with Steven on Sunday.
Last June, Steven raised more than £20,000 for Cash for Kids after running four marathons within 24 hours from Wick to Inverness. He clocked up 104.8 miles in 23 hours and 39 minutes to complete the challenge on his 40th birthday.
The year before, he did an 80-mile run from Inverness to Brora in around 18.5 hours, raising more than £17,000 for the same cause.
He is due to finish his NC500 challenge at Inverness Cathedral on Sunday.
MFR charity manager Lyndsay Rose said: “This is the third challenge Steven has done for us in as many years but it’s also the hardest. He is effectively doing two marathons a day for 10 consecutive days.
"I can’t imagine the pain he’s going through but he is determined and we are behind him all the way.
"Not only is it a physically and mentally tough challenge but he has also set himself a massive fundraising target of £50,000. This is huge for MFR Cash for Kids and it will allow us to honour many of the applications we are currently inundated with.
"We are dealing with so many applications for basic essentials like beds and bedding, clothing and even support with food and energy costs as more and more families are struggling.
"Steven’s support is life-changing for these children and families. On behalf of them all we’d just like to wish him good luck for the rest of the rest of the challenge and we look forward to seeing him at Inverness Cathedral on Sunday.”
Steven's fundraising page is at www.cashforkidsgive.co.uk/campaign/steven-mackay-nc500-challenge and by Monday his total had reached more than £32,000.
The money he raises will be allocated as grant aid by the charity's board in June.
Inverness-based Steven is operations director for an oil and gas-related firm. Before embarking on his latest challenge, he sought the advice of Luke Ivory, from Brora, who ran the NC500 last year in five days, 23 hours and four minutes.
