Brave marathon runner raises £10,000 for Munlochy Animal Aid in tribute to mum killed in Black Isle accident
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A Black Isle animal rescue charity is to benefit to the tune of more than £10,000 thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of a plucky marathon runner who completed the gruelling run the day before the funeral this week.
Cara McDaniel, who grew up in Culbokie, raised the cash for Munlochy Animal Aid by completing Sunday’s Baxters Loch Ness Marathon in memory of her mother, Joan, who tragically died in a car accident last month.
Donations poured in from friends and family of the 36-year-old after she set up an online charity page following the tragedy.
She crossed the finish line on Sunday in a time of 4 hours and 22 minutes.
“Our mam was a passionate supporter of animal rights and regularly raised money and helped out at Munlochy Animal Aid,” said Cara, who now lives in Brighton.
“It was an organisation very close to her heart and she would have been so delighted that we managed to raise such an amazing amount of money to help towards the running of the rescue centre.”
Cara’s mother, Joan Anderson (63) died at the scene of the collision near Rosemarkie on September 21.
A retired teacher, she worked latterly as a tourist guide. The family dog, which originally came from the Munlochy sanctuary, survived the crash and was found two days later after running off.
“My initial hope was that we could make £500,” said Cara, who works as a tour manager in the music industry. “I can’t believe we were able to smash that target by such an amount and I can’t thank people enough for their generosity.”
Iona Nicol, who founded the animal shelter forty years ago, said she was bowled over by the donations. “We are absolutely delighted that Cara has raised the fantastic sum of £10,000 for Munlochy Animal Aid by running the Baxters Challenge as a tribute to her mother.”
“Joan was a long-time supporter of 'Munlochy’ and indeed on one of her tours she deliberately had the coach driven very slowly passed the centre and got us some donations - one even being sent over from American tourists who she charmed with her enthusiasm about the work done at MAA.
We are so very grateful to Cara for her efforts for ‘Munlochy’.”
Mrs Anderson, who taught at Invergordon Academy and Inverness High School, was the wife of Craig, a well-known Highland journalist, and mother to Cara, Ruairidh and Holly. She was also a grandmother of two.
Her funeral service was held on Monday this week in Inverness and she was laid to rest on the Black Isle.
