A former East Neuk woman who helped install the Scotties by the Sea art trail in St Andrews and North East Fife is walking 120km between all of the colourful canine sculptures to raise money for Maggie’s Dundee.
Steph Brown, 52, of Glenrothes, is walking around 30km per day, starting from the Scottie at Lindores Abbey Distillery on Thursday (September 21) and finishing at Leven Prom on Monday.
The former Cellardyke Primary and Waid Academy pupil, who grew up in Anstruther, works for Amazon in Dundee.
She has been inspired to walk from dog-to-dog after helping logistics company AFS install the canine creations.
Now, she is urging people to “dig deep” to support a worthy local cause.
And she hopes to attract support along the way on what she’s calling her Mutt Strutt Marathon.
What route is Steph walking to support Scotties by the Sea and Maggie’s Dundee?
“I’m going to walk a total of 120km from dog-to-dog,” Steph told The Courier.
“The first dog I visit will be at Lindores Abbey Distillery and the last dog will be Leven Prom.
“On Thursday I’ll be walking from Lindores Abbey Distillery to Newport.
“On Friday I’ll be going from Newport to St Andrews.
“On Saturday I’m in St Andrews and I’ll do all the dogs there. I hope people will join me.
“On Sunday it’ll be St Andrews to Anstruther.
“Then on Monday, it’ll be Anstruther to Leven.
“That works out about 30km per day.”
Why has Steph been inspired to follow the trail in support of Maggie’s Dundee?
Steph, who has fundraised for a different charity ever year for the last 27 years, says that for her it’s about “giving back”.
She laughs about the day she helped carry the RAF ‘Flying Scottie’ over the railway bridge onto the platform at Leuchars Station.
It’s been “so good” to see so many people taking “selfies” with the dogs while helping to raise funds and awareness.
While she is accepting donations for Maggie’s Dundee through her JustGiving page, she hopes as many people as possible will also scan the QR codes on the dogs to donate, or give direct to Maggie’s.
What is the Scotties by the Sea art trail?
As previously reported by The Courier, the Scotties by the Sea art trail aims to boost businesses in St Andrews and other communities hosting the dogs by bringing in extra footfall.
However, when the dogs are auctioned off at the Old Course Hotel at the end of November, all proceeds will go towards the cancer support drop-in charity Maggie’s Dundee.
The 30 giant Scottish Terriers and 15 Wee Dugs form part of a unique outdoor exhibition which launched on September 1.
Those who follow the trail are being taken on a journey across St Andrews and around the north-east Fife coast.
The pups are on parade for 10 weeks.
Aside from the entertainment factor, there is a serious aim – to raise £150,000 for Maggie’s Cancer Care.
Scotties by the Sea is the brainchild of business organisation BID St Andrews, which enlisted the help of Wild in Art to create the trail.
After the trail ends on November 12, a ‘farewell weekend’ will take place from November 17-19 whereby the public can pay a small fee towards Maggie’s to view them all together.
An auction for Maggie’s will then take place on November 30 at the Old Course Hotel.
How to donate direct to Steph Brown and Maggie’s Dundee
To support Steph Brown on her Scotties by the Sea trail Mutt Strutt Marathon – with all proceeds going direct to Maggie’s Dundee – click here.
To donate direct to Maggie’s Dundee, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/maggies-dundee
Donations can also be made by scanning the QR codes on the Scotties by the Sea dogs.
*For more on Maggie’s Dundee, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, see The Courier’s Weekend magazine of Saturday September 23.
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