In the opening months of 2018 I had eureka moment sitting in a bar in central Glasgow. As a fundraiser for the British Heart Foundation along with family we had organised a number of events, from quiz nights to a 5-a-side tournament raising roughly £10k along the way. However, I was inspired by the actions of the Paradise Steps Group who raise funds for a number of charities by running up & down the steps in some of the most famous football stadiums in the world. I had heard about their exploits at Celtic park & wondered if I could challenge myself to do the same, albeit walking every step.
I approached the Celtic Foundation to discuss options of working with them to raise funds for the BHF & of course the Celtic Foundation by completing the challenge of walking up & down every step in Celtic Park. In early May 2018 after a few months of training walking up & down steps outside Hampden Park & at Kelvingrove Park, I along with 9 colleagues, friends & family started the challenge.
To attend a sell out match at Celtic Park under the lights with the fans singing in unison is truly an incredible sight, but to enter the stadium when every seat is empty & all you have with you is the support of your fellow fundraisers the stadium is as intimidating as it is inspiring. With the early morning sunshine lighting up Paradise our group made their way through each if the steps determined not to let the opportunity pass us by. Lisbon Lions , North Stand, Jock Stein, Main stand & safe standing sections were all conquered with the knowledge that £8670 had been raised which was split equally supporting the amazing work carried out by both charities.
I then attended a Lisbon anniversary celebration along with family & a good friend from the BHF, the function was held in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park & there I met a number of the volunteers from the Celtic Foundation & was amazed at the passion & dedication each of them had for the charity each going a long way to making the charity successful in changing lives here in Scotland & across the world.
Fast forward to April 2019 when I received an e-mail from the Celtic Foundation inviting me to take part in the Magners “Goals for Good" match to be played on the hallowed surface at Celtic Park. This was obviously an opportunity I could not turn down.
As a child I loved nothing more than playing football, but with a serious heart condition I was advised by my consultants when I was 9 years old that I would never be allowed to play at any level. I couldn't play for my school or join in with friends in local teams. My footballing was restricted to local matches at the park with friends & often interrupted by multiple breaks for me to get my breath back.
My condition known as Fallots Tetrallogy meant I was born with 4 separate defects of my heart & by the age of 9 I’d had 4 life changing heart operations, 2 of these before I was 9 months old. I have had 3 pulmonary valve replacement surgeries, one of these when I was 19 when doctors fought to save my life during a long period in hospital, so to be given an opportunity to get changed in the home dressing room, walk down the tunnel & take part in a match at Celtic Park was a dream come true. The night itself is a memory that will live with me forever & again following in the charitable origins of the club the event itself raised a further £20k donated by Magners to the Celtic Foundation.
Like most fans my interaction with the Celtic Foundation involved buying a ticket to the charity matches held at the ground or making a donation on “Badge Day" at the end of the season, but the last 2 years has given me greater insight to the work carried out by the charity & impact it has both locally & around the globe.
