Ken’s charity cycle to visit old rugby haunts​

By Murray MacLeod
Published 27th Aug 2024, 08:21 BST
Updated 27th Aug 2024, 10:22 BST
Four chosen charities will benefit from the fund-raising cycleFour chosen charities will benefit from the fund-raising cycle
Four chosen charities will benefit from the fund-raising cycle
A 67-year-old former stalwart of the Scottish Rugby scene, and now resident in Bernera, is to undertake an unusual and formidable challenge for charity – a 1,000-mile cycle around the country during which he will visit every club he has been associated with over a long career.

Even for established cyclists half his age it would be some undertaking, but a nonchalant Ken Macaulay says he has “not been on a bike for years” and to make matters worse he has set himself a start date of October, just a few weeks away to coincide with the start of the rugby season, which gives him limited time to train and get in shape.

He will be raising money for four different charities - the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Murrayfield Injured Players Fund, Prostate Scotland and Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Earlier this year Ken was one of 75 players to be added to the sport’s roll of honour, recognising their contribution to international matches with retrospective caps. He received his cap 44 years after being picked for a Scotland squad which travelled to meet a France Select team in Bordeaux.

Weather permitting, Ken is busy training on the roads of Lewis and Bernera and made an appeal for local cyclists to join him.Weather permitting, Ken is busy training on the roads of Lewis and Bernera and made an appeal for local cyclists to join him.
Weather permitting, Ken is busy training on the roads of Lewis and Bernera and made an appeal for local cyclists to join him.

Back in 2013, he was awarded the Ginger Grouse Spirit of Rugby award after a long association with North Berwick RFC where he served as coach and director of rugby and during his playing days played in the second row for Gala RFC, one of the famous names of Scottish rugby.

He has a strong family connection to Lewis and he and his wife moved to the island a number of years ago.

Ken said: “I was very fortunate to be one of the beneficiaries of the SRU’s retrospective cap initiative earlier this year and this has got me thinking of a way to give something back as a thank you for being included in the process and as a token of my appreciation for everything the sport of rugby has given me over the years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’m going to try and visit every rugby club and pitch in Scotland I played on during my 30-year league rugby career.”

He added: “Some of the grounds don’t exist any more and some of the clubs have disappeared but by my reckoning there are still 76 places for me to visit on the challenge!”

He says his training has, unsurprisingly, been held back by the weather but managed 51 miles on Sunday.

“The weather’s not been great, as anyone in the islands can testify to, but what can you do,” he said. “I’d welcome any local cyclists who want to come and join me on training runs. I’m doing this on my own so the company is welcome, say for example if someone wants to join me from Barvas to Stornoway.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’ve spoken to some experienced cyclists who say I’m mad and that I would need six months training, but I don’t have that time, so let’s just get on with it.”

To donate and to find out more visit: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kens-retrospective-challenge.

Anne Magarin, Community, Events and Corporate Fundraiser for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to be one of the charities that Ken is raising money for with his cycling effort.

“This is an out of the ordinary fundraiser which will require extraordinary effort and we wish Ken all the very best. ”

​