It is with sadness but a great sense of pride that the Board of Walk With Scott Foundation announce that it will wind up at the end of March 2026. Over the last year or so it has become increasingly challenging to run our annual events which have suffered from low participation numbers and have therefore had to be cancelled. As these are our primary source of fundraising our ability to continue to run the Foundation has become challenged.
Colin McGinn, vice Chair of WWSF said:
“Over the last year or so the small group of volunteers who run WWSF have found it increasingly challenging to organise our key events which are our main source of income to make awards. It is now more than six years since our Founder and inspiration Scott Glynn passed away and we are all very proud of what we have achieved in the 13 years we have raised funds for Walk with Scott initially, and then as a charity Foundation. Over this period, we have raised and distributed nearly three quarters of a million pounds and we could not have done this without our loyal supporters who we have proudly called ‘Scotters’. Our gratitude goes to them.
We have helped a large number of fantastic and inspirational organisations who continue to make a huge difference to the lives of people in East Lothian. It has been a privilege to run the Foundation that carries Scott’s name and promote the ethos of community and giving that he epitomised. We have fought against poverty and exclusion and promoted physical and mental health and wellbeing. We have seen, first hand, the difference that a little bit of help can make.
The list of organisations and individuals we have helped is too long to name fully, but most notably we have supported the fight against Poverty through significant donations to the East Lothian foodbank and numerous local community kitchens. We have supported families through awards to The Haven, Homestart, Recharge, Fostering Compassion and Leuchie House. We have boosted mental and physical health through our support of Men’s Shed, Keep the Heid, Dad’s Work, Cycling Without Age, Beach Wheelchairs, Muirfield Riding Therapy and Beyond Boundaries. And we have fought isolation through our support of the Harlawhill and Hollies day centres.
Although the Foundation will no longer exist, we hope and believe that ‘Scotters’ will continue to be a force for good within the local community, arranging and attending local fundraising events and supporting one another through, for example, walking and friendship groups.”
On behalf of the Glynn family, Carol Glynn said:
“It started with a birthday wish. To celebrate his 50th birthday Scott thought he would invite folks to walk, play a game of rugby and raise money along the way. Who would have thought then it would turn into a Foundation that would see many charities benefit over the years, but more importantly for Scott to bring a community together?
These few folks turned into a family fondly called ‘Scotters’. Sadly, we have lost some of the ‘Scotters’ family over the years, including of course, Scott himself, which left us all heartbroken. On behalf of the Glynn family, I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Board of the Foundation for keeping Scott’s vision going for more than six years. The foundation comes to an end, a vision, a dream of one man, but Scott will always be with us in the memories we have all made with him. Walk tall, walk proud and he will walk with us forever.’
The Foundation plans to make a final round of awards, as well as erect a memorial bench for Scott in the name of the Foundation, at a suitable site in East Lothian, which will exhaust current funds. These awards will go to:
- Meet & Mingle: a newly established women’s support group who meet regularly in Tranent to tackle issues such as mental health, menopause, chronic illness, bereavement and loneliness.
- Men’s shed: a Prestonpans based organisation encouraging men to meet, socialise and work together on community projects.
In addition, the Foundation will gift several ‘Rempod’ kits to local groups. These can be used to stimulate and entertain the elderly and those suffering from dementia.