Strictly Inverness dancer raises over £60,000 for Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre following series of events including farm open day near Fortrose; praises Black Isle communities for support
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A STUNNED charity fundaiser has praised the generosity of the Black Isle community after he generated more than £60,000 for local causes.
Martin Gill (52), who is a contestant in this year’s Strictly Inverness charity dancing competition, has obliterated the record for the largest sum ever raised by a competitor following a series of fundraising activities.
The latest was a massively successful open day at his farm near Fortrose last weekend, which is thought to have raised £30,000 on the day. An auction generated £16,000 of that total and more than £3000 in donations were handed in at the gate by visitors. Some 72 tractors also took part in a charity tractor run around the Black Isle.
Other fundraisers included a £7000 windfall which was generated through a weight-loss challenge he and friends set himself. Each agreed to donate £1000 if he lost four stone for the dancing contest. He had shed nearly five stone by the weekend.
His final fundraising total had yet to be fully counted by the time the Ross-shire Journal went to print, but is understood to be in excess of £60,000. The figure far surpasses the previous record amount raised by a single Strictly Inverness contestant.
The Highland Hospice – who along with Inverness Ice Centre are the contest’s charity recipients – have hailed him as a “total star” following his “amazing” feat.
A delighted Mr Gill, who is known as Papa Gill among this year’s Strictly contestants because his son Andy competed in the competition last year, was overwhelmed by the generosity of the Black Isle community.
“The support from everybody on the Black Isle and the farming community has just been fantastic.” He also praised his wife “who has done the most and done a fantastic job in the background” and the many friends and helpers who also made his fundraising efforts possible.
“I’d like to thank everybody who supported us. A couple of friends in particular went above and beyond.”
