Nine women from Orkney who organised a 14-mile bed push challenge in memory of their late friend have raised an incredible £15,800 for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA).
The flower power fundraising day was in honour of Ingie Breck, a florist in Birsay, Orkney, who sadly passed away in September 2023. Nine of her close friends from her darts club decided to create a colourful, fun, and charitable tribute to Ingie.
One such friend was Ida Seator, she said: “All of us at the club wanted to do something in her memory. We knew we wanted to do a memorable challenge for charity, rather than just ask people for money. We decided to push a bed 14-miles from Stromness to Birsay – and the whole thing just grew arms and legs!”
SCAA became the group’s chosen charity after a member of the darts club put the nomination forward.
Ida said: “The mum of one of our members had relied on Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance a few times, so we thought it was an absolutely brilliant idea.
“There aren’t many people in Orkney who don’t know of someone who has had to be airlifted in the past.”
The group of nine women completed the first and last mile of the bed push, with 10 other teams made up of local groups and friends and family of Ingie also joining in the efforts.
The bed push preceded a Family Fun Day and dance in the Birsay community centre. The funds raised were accumulated from the bed push collection, a prize draw, a car boot sale, and the family fun day activities.
“It was very much a community effort,” Ida continued. “Folk were being so generous – Ingie was so well liked in Orkney, and people were also happy to support SCAA. It was a great success.
“When we did the challenge, it was the hottest, most beautiful day…Ingie must have been smiling down at us.”
