An 81-year-old former Dundee teacher and depute provost of Angus is to dust off his running shoes and take on the Edinburgh Marathon.
Peter Murphy, who taught at Logie and Whitfield high schools in Dundee, will run the marathon next year as part of the ongoing fundraising campaign for the Kinloch Centre in Carnoustie.
The site for the proposed community hub was recently transformed into a green space while efforts to accumulate the required cash for the project continue.
Members of the Carnoustie Centre Action Group (CCAG) are hopeful it will be used as a focal point for the town during next year’s Commonwealth Games shooting at the nearby Barry Buddon military base.
Mr Murphy, who is chairman of the group and has lived in Carnoustie for 50 years, said he is looking forward to the challenge and to organising events to boost the cause at the new grassy area.
“I still keep myself fit but I haven’t done a marathon since 1985,” he said. “I’m aiming to take four-and-a-quarter hours which will be slightly slower than the last time.”
CCAG have released a new survey to garner views on what should be included at the centre once it opens.
Information gathered will assist the group’s business plan with a view to accessing grant funding.
Mr Murphy, a former Angus councillor, said it can be difficult to attract money to Carnoustie as the town doesn’t suffer high levels of deprivation and, as such, fails to qualify for many streams.
He added: “The site was recently rendered fit for outdoor events such as farmers’ markets and car boot sales through work undertaken voluntarily by DJ Laing as a gesture of goodwill.
“It can now provide an ‘income’ for the project that can go towards the building of a community hub, which is being designed to be built in phases.”
A public meeting is to be held at the town’s British Legion Hall next Monday at 7.15pm.
To take part in the survey visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/NGN7RQ9.