On the evening of Friday 20 June, over 400 people took to the streets of Aberdeen to enjoy the biggest ever Aberdeen Culture Crawl in support of the cancer care charity Maggie’s.  Now in its eighth year, the Culture Crawl invites participants to take in the sights and sounds of the City and suburbs, on a route kept secret until the day of the event.  Along the way, various stopping points are marked for participants to stop and enjoy food, music and a wealth of other entertaining activities.  

The Culture Crawl is one of many fundraising events set up by Maggie’s to raise money and awareness for the invaluable support they provide to the community. This year, in a change from the traditional city centre routes of previous years, participants were treated to a scenic route starting at Hazlehead Park, with the first stop being our very own Countesswells Sports Campus.  On arrival through the gates, participants were met with the sights and sounds of the Robert Gordon’s Pipe Band, which they could watch and enjoy as they made their way through the campus. 

Maggie’s Centre Fundraising Manager, Richard Stewart (Class of ’88), explains: "It was fabulous to have the Robert Gordon's College Sports Campus as the first surprise stop on this year's walk – the sun was shining and the Pipe Band kept the crowds entertained against the backdrop of the playing fields. As the first venue, it's always a big moment handling all the walkers at once, and RGC really did us proud. I was genuinely delighted to see it all come together there – it set the tone for the whole night and couldn’t have been a better start."  

Amongst the 400 strong participants making their way past the Pavilion was a very familiar face; Claire Tocher, Class of ‘02.  Claire, who’s S1 Oration at the 2024 Founder’s Day celebration outlined her personal and professional journeys through the worlds of HR and Powerlifting - was keen to pop into the Pavilion to see her name on the International Honours board, signifying her outstanding Powerlifting success.  Claire shared: “It was great to take part in this year's Culture Crawl and so nostalgic to be back at Countesswells after all these years - I had to take the opportunity to go and see my name up there on the boards - what a brilliant evening!”

With many walkers entering the campus for the first time, it was a privilege for Robert Gordon’s College to support Maggie’s and play a part in such a memorable and successful community event. The sight of 400 participants in their bright orange t-shirts making their way across the green fields of the campus, to the sounds of the RGC Pipe Band, was a very poignant and striking sight.  We were proud to provide the setting for the first stop of a very special charitable evening and wish Maggie’s every success in their fundraising efforts. 

 

Image credit 2, 3, and 5: David Clark