A Prestwick mother and her teenage son are preparing to complete a third charity Kiltwalk in 2026 after already raising more than £2,000 for Whiteleys Retreat, the Alloway charity that provides therapeutic respite breaks for children with cancer and their families.
Kate McMillan and Finlay Turner have taken part in two Kiltwalks this year on behalf of Whiteleys and are now due to complete the trio they signed up for. Their planned events are in Glasgow in April, Dundee in August and Edinburgh in September.
A family connection to Whiteleys Retreat
The fundraising has a deeply personal meaning for the Prestwick family. Kate has supported Whiteleys for several years because her nephew and Finlay’s cousin, Alex, died from neuroblastoma in September 2012, aged four.
Kate said Alex’s death left “a huge hole” in the family. She explained that wearing Whiteleys T-shirts and joining thousands of other walkers helped them remember him while raising money and awareness for causes that matter to participants.
“Alex left a huge hole in our family. Putting our Whiteleys T-shirts on and joining thousands of people all coming together to raise funds and awareness for their own personal causes helps us to remember beautiful Alex and the joy he brought to us during his short life.”
Alex was supported by Malcolm Sargent House, Kate said, before that facility closed and Whiteleys was formed. She described Whiteleys as a valuable charity and said the campaign was intended to raise awareness as well as funds.
“It is such a fantastic and valuable charity, and this is about raising awareness as much as anything else.”
Finlay adds Dundee to the challenge
Kate, who works in Oceanic Air Traffic Control at NATS in Prestwick, said she normally completes one Kiltwalk each year. This time, she and Finlay initially planned to walk in Glasgow and Edinburgh, but Finlay suggested adding Dundee to the schedule.
“We were only meant to do the Glasgow and Edinburgh ones but Finlay suggested we add Dundee as well.”
Finlay is a sixth-year pupil at Prestwick Academy and hopes to go to university next year. He also joined a team of Prestwick Academy pupils who walked around Great Cumbrae in June for Whiteleys.
For Kate, the walks have also created an opportunity to spend time with her teenage son while keeping Alex’s memory alive. Finlay was a baby when Alex died, giving him an additional reason to take part, she said.
“It's been brilliant and it has been a real treat for me spending time with my teenage boy.”
Fundraising passes £2,000
The pair set an initial fundraising target of £800, but their total has now exceeded £2,000. Kate said the money came from friends, family and a donation from her employer, NATS, through its Community Funding project.
“Our fundraising continues and so far our total is over £2,000 thanks to the kindness of our friends and family and a generous donation from my employer NATS through their Community Funding project.”
Donations can be made through the pair’s JustGiving page. Kate said every contribution would help Whiteleys continue its work with children affected by cancer and their families.
