Featured Trekkers


Chris McMail

Started Microtech 23 years ago, March 1986, not really sure if I will stick it!

Microtech provides IT Products and Services to both GP Practices throughout Scotland and a wide range of corporate organisations.

I live in Seamill and have been married to my beautiful wife Anne for 16 years and have two kids, Caitlin (9) and Nicole (5). Caitlin is in P5 at West Kilbride Primary and Nicole will start there in August.

Anne is actively trying to restore consumer confidence and sees the overdraft as a target rather than a limit, which she easily reaches every month. Whilst really looking forward to this adventure I am not looking forward to being away from my family for 10 days or having to make amends! Massive thanks to Anne for supporting me and tolerating the visits to the gym and 3 hour training walks.

The Ayrshire Hospice has been our nominated charity for a number of years and training for the trek has been a good excuse to get (reasonably) fit.


Graham Kirkwood

I work for Bridgend Garage at our Irvine site which specialise in Mitsubishi Motors. I have worked for the for 31 years full time and a few years part time before that. Married for 15 yrs to Jacqueline have a daughter Zara aged 4 and 1/2 going to school in August this year. Lived in Irvine for 11 years now but both of us originally from Kilwinning. Jacqueline works for Scottish Power in Bellshill.

No hobbies but we all love to travel long-haul as often as possible. Have done work for the hospice for some 10 years now.


John McCallum

Live in Seamill and have been happily married to Kathleen for the past 16 years. We have two fantastic kids Nathan (9 )and Elise (7) who keep us busy.

Left the Pearl Assurance rat race after 14 years and set up an independent financial consultancy in West Kilbride JMC Financial Services in 2003, Love life, fun, fast cars, red wine and cultivate my autistic tendencies (or so Kathleen says) by being passionate about anything I do.

Think the hospice is a great charity and I am delighted to raise money for them at any opportunity, although on this occasion the list of shopping requests in Silk Alley may make a dent in my pocket and suitcase. Guess the tolerance of my alarm at 6am to go to the gym has its price!

I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored me for their generosity and hope I can count on it again for Kilimanjaro in February 2010.


Stewart Lindsay

I have been happily married now to Ann for 30 years and we have 3 fantastic children, Sharon, Craig & Iain who have all made both of us very proud.
We also have 2 dogs Lucy & Jax who have both walked as many practise miles as I have. Unfortunately, the goldfish can’t come on my practise walks.

I am self employed and I have worked in the Petrochemicals & Oil & Gas industry for most of my working life, spending much of that time offshore on various installations and projects. I have more recently spent my working life in foreign climes including Norway, Holland, UAE, Philippines & Azerbayjan and am about to take up another challenge in Algeria after completion of the Great Wall of China Trek. It’s a great way to see the world and appreciate other peoples cultures.

For much of my life I have been involved with The Boys’ Brigade in Stevenston and finally Kilwinning as Captain.

This “China Trek” as it has affectionately become known will be a first for me and I am not really sure why it particularly prompted me to “do it”. I guess all you have to do is take a trip across to the Hospice and see the peace and tranquillity that is abound there and perhaps you can understand why it is so important to many people. I have been amazed at the response that I have received whilst working towards my fundraising goal. I have run a Football Coupon which has raised the lions share of my sponsorship.
Along with a Supper Dance late last year, sponsorship within my current work location and some very generous family & friends, this fundraising experience has been a very enjoyable one.

Thanks very much to everyone who has sponsored and supported me, I promise I will try not to let you down.


Justine Cullen

I live in Ayr and have worked as a Fundraiser for the Ayrshire Hospice for the last 5 years and volunteered 10 years prior. I was nominated by Louis Jardine, Fundraising Manager to organise and undertake this exciting challenge - the reason for this could be because I am the fitness fanatic of the office and visit the gym regularly. Wish the Great Wall of China was on the flat and I could run as the thought of all these steps makes me cringe just a bit!

There are 30 trekkers in our group including myself. We have undertaken practice walks over the last few months and I now think the Carrick Hills was dawdle compared to what we’ve let ourselves in for.

I would like to say a BIG BIG thank you to all the trekkers for their commitment and dedication to The Ayrshire Hospice and a special thank you to all who have supported them. I am a Fundraiser at heart and will always try to seek out donations so on a personal note I would also like to thank my family and friends for their support and to let them know that they can stop dodging me now!

http://www.justgiving.com/justinecullen

15 comments:

  Anonymous

25 March 2009 at 22:10

Good luck guys, remember its not a race!

  Anonymous

27 March 2009 at 15:04

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE WE HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT TIME WE WILL BE FOLLOWING YOUR PROGRESS DAILY.
WISHING YOU LOTS & LOTS OF LUCK.

LOVE FROM THE AYRSHIRE HOSPICE FUNDRAISING TEAM X X

  Anonymous

27 March 2009 at 15:59

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE HOPE ALL GOES WELL STEEP YOUR FEET GRAHAM FROM ALL AT BRIDGEND GARAGE

  Anonymous

27 March 2009 at 18:47

Good Luck Daddy. Will miss you lots. Luv & hugs, Caitlin & Nicole xxx

  Anonymous

27 March 2009 at 21:11

Well its the night before we go and although i have never spent so much time apart from my children they now fully understand why raising funds for the Hospice is important. Future trekkers in the making, i am sure! Either that or they will be building toilets in Africa for Comic Relief or VSO.

John McCallum

  Anonymous

27 March 2009 at 21:18

So impressed with the amount of money you have all raised for such a wonderful charity. Terminal illness touches us all indescriminately. Feel the burn and walk! Kathleen x

  Alex Blair

29 March 2009 at 15:16

Chris,good luck to you & your friends,sorry I'm not there to set the pace as I did (or was it you) in Tenerife. Stick to my pace & you may be home for Christmas.
Love, Granny Mo & Poppy.

  Anonymous

29 March 2009 at 22:36

Exciting stuff!! - What a challenge !! Good luck to everyone! I will keep up with your daily progress - thanks to Kathleen for posting this link on face book!
Louise Hendry x

  Anonymous

30 March 2009 at 09:21

Hi Justine
Hope your flights went well and you all arrived safely.
Can't remember the time difference but hope your first day trecking goes well.
Thinking of you all happy trecking.

Best wishes from The Hospice fundraising team x

  Anonymous

30 March 2009 at 10:30

SNOW!!!!!! Glad to hear you have all arrived albeit some already needing medical attention! Hope all is well now. Take it from a seasoned bacardi drinker - the diet coke is always cheaper in the supermarket (Justine will have no idea who wrote this!!)
You should have done your first trek by now - hope your feet are blister-free. Look forward to reading all about it and seeing the pics when you get back. Love and kisses. xxx

  snoozyque

30 March 2009 at 12:18

"May the road rise up tae meet ye!"
and don't forget to have a look around when you're up there xxxxx

Go on Gran!!

Love Suzy, Kurn and Michaela xxx

  Anonymous

30 March 2009 at 21:29

Good luck John and to all the team. I'll be watching your daily progress. It all looks fantastic and as usual your making a great effort for the hospice and all who need it in Ayrshire. Well done I'm proud of you. Love Mum

  Andrew in Taiwan

31 March 2009 at 14:31

All the best John and the team, sounds like you are off to a good start.

  Anonymous

1 April 2009 at 10:21

Hi guys it is great to see you all having such a good time when you are earning a great deal of money for such a great cause... Keep up the good work Stewart can't wait to hear all your stories..

  Pamela Smith

7 April 2009 at 14:59

to John McCallum,
well done big cuz on getting to the end. It's fantastic,really proud of you! - and well done to everyone else. Hope the feet don't hurt too much.
Love Pam x