Barra bairns brave the elements to raise £3,000 for SCIAF

Barra and Benbecula hosted a mini-Olympics as five young cousins battled the wild weather to raise an amazing £3,000 for families half a world away. 

And their message was simple: use your SCIAF WEE BOX to make a BIG CHANGE!  

The cousins travelled more than 60km, to represent the 6 decades SCIAF has been active. Lewis Campbell and Scott Irving were up first and cycled from St Mary's Church on Benbecula to the Ferry terminal to Barra. Despite the very windy, challenging conditions, the boys managed to cycle the full 50km route. 

Next up were the swimmers: Ross Irving and Robbie Campbell. They were hoping to swim through Castlebay harbour but the weather was appalling. So, they took to the community pool doing hundreds of lengths instead! They swam a whopping 5.4km.

Last but not least was 14-year-old Rowan Campbell who battled hailstones and hurricane style winds to run 12.5k, finishing at Barra’s beach airport.

James Cave from SCIAF was there to record every moment.

He said:

“The Barra Teens have shown us all that fundraising for charity should be a bit challenging, but mostly lots of fun!

“The weather was really quite wild, but they powered on with smiles on their faces – in many ways, a real act of solidarity, standing with those SCIAF serve around the world, and whose daily lives are really quite hard.

“SCIAF works with people of all faiths and none, in the most remote and challenging corners of the planet. Communities like those on the Outer Hebrides are incredibly generous, and should know their efforts, kindness and continuous to SCIAF’s work are greatly appreciated.”

Lent is 40 days of reflection, fasting, and prayer leading up to Easter. Each year generous Scots up and down the country give up a favourite treat such as coffee, chocolate, wine or crisps during Lent and put the money they save into a SCIAF WEE BOX. 

Supporters also hold fundraising events in their schools and parishes and take on personal challenges to raise money. They then donate whatever they raise at Easter to provide a hand-up to vulnerable communities worldwide, struggling to survive due to hunger, poverty, conflict and the climate emergency. 

James added:

“This year our WEE BOX Appeal focusses on water. In Scotland we are blessed with some of the finest drinking water in the world. We bathe in it, use it for cooking, and drink as much as we want, whenever we want. We take it for granted that it will always be there. 

“Water is life. But for many, it’s dangerously scarce.   In Ethiopia, where I visited recently, far too many women, girls and boys still have to walk for hours every day under the scorching sun. For many young people, this means missed days at school, often getting sick from dirty water, and in some places in Ethiopia taking their lives in their hands on their daily trip for water.” 

However, thanks to the generosity of people across Scotland, SCIAF has been funding local organisations in Ethiopia to bring clean water to communities and help people help themselves out of poverty. 

Runner Rowan Campbell said:

“Oh the weather was really bad. I’m raising money for SCIAF for people in Ethiopia who don’t have access to water like we do and are less fortunate than us.”

Canon Michael Hutson from St. Mary’s in Griminish said:

“Events like these are a key part of our WEE BOX appeal every year, which, thanks to the people across Scotland brings hope to communities in the poorest parts of the world.

“The teenagers wanted to do something meaningful and active for Lent to show how WEE island communities can make a BIG difference.”

This Lent, please use your WEE BOX to make a BIG CHANGE. Your support can show young people around the world that a better world is possible – one where they can survive, thrive and flourish.