Turning Fife gold this September for a very special cause

The wheels have been set in motion to raise awareness of childhood cancer at towns across the Kingdom thanks to the efforts of Kirkcaldy parents, Kelly and Martyn Clarkson, and committee members for their community organisation, Megan’s Journey.

They have put out a number of gold bikes at various locations in the Lang Toun for the second year in a row to support the national Glow Gold September campaign which marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by spray-painting bikes gold and putting them on display.

And this year they have extended the scheme by placing gold bikes and scooters in other towns, including Dysart, Burntisland, Glenrothes and Leven.

The bikes symbolise childhoods lost as a result of cancer.

Megan’s Journey was set up in memory of Kelly and Martyn’s daughter Megan (2), who died after battling a rare form of lung cancer.

They were inspired to help some of the charities that supported Megan, and so launched the fundraising initiative at the end of 2018.

Kelly is hoping the local Glow Gold campaign will be bigger and better than last year – and she also wants local businesses to get involved.

She explained why she chose to put bikes out in other towns this year.

“We had so many donations that it seemed silly to keep them all in Kirkcaldy,” she said. “We are really happy that the scheme has grown to the point we can include other areas.

“We have 29 bikes and scooters this year, and had so many offers I had to turn some down as we just couldn’t deal with them all!

“The bikes went out over last weekend and were in place for the start of September.

“We are also starting a golden pebble trail in Beveridge Park and would love everyone to paint a pebble gold and add it to the trail!”

A golden bike has also been placed at Sinclairtown Primary which is very poignant for Kelly and her family as Megan would have started primary one there a few weeks ago.

A few businesses including Enhanced Beauty and Nails in Kirkcaldy are supporting this year’s campaign by having a golden window display, and Kelly has urged more firms and shops to back the 2020 campaign in their own creative ways.

She added: “I thought instead of local businesses helping with painting the bikes, perhaps they could help raise awareness of childhood cancer. For example, they could have a gold window display, a gold filter on their lights, have gold balloons – even just having something in their shop like a nice vase of sunflowers.

“I can also supply awareness cards from The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust for businesses to use to highlight this month and what it means.

Kelly thanked Kirkcaldy business, Bodywyse Autocare, which kindly once again spray-painted all the bikes; Caledonia Signs, Kirkcaldy which provided all the signs and stickers on the bikes and committee members Melanie Grant, Emily Potter, Vicky Hood, Vivian Clarkson, Susie Blackwood and Sharon McBride who helped to put out all the bikes and scooters.

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