Walking the West Highland Way for Kirkcaldy Rugby Club

Regulars at Kirkcaldy’s Fitness Pacific Gym, owned by the Blues’ head coach Quintan Sanft, raise money for charity every year and this time decided that the Beveridge Park club would be the recipients.

They chose to walk the West Highland Way – during the week that Scotland was hit by the worst thunderstorms in decades.

The team’s Jill Watson said: “A few of us had done it before but as a group it was one on the bucket list.

“Looking at the rugby club, they had suffered a bit of misfortune through different things so we wanted to help them get their funds back up, in particular to help with the kids.”

Jill said the trek itself was tough going initially, but after a challenging first three days the group came together on day four - when Scotland was hit by floods.

“I think a lot of people thought we might give in at that point because the weather was so bad,” she said, “but it was probably the best part of our trip.

“We just walked for 20 miles through gales and streams of water, completely soaked, for nine hours and just had a laugh.

“It really brought the team together.”

Having set a target of £1000, the group actually raised nearly £2500, an amount the Blues’ Director of Rugby Corgi George called “phenomenal”.

“They battled through some horrific weather so we take our hat off to them,” he said.

“There has been no income generated at the club at all, so this donation has been very warmly welcomed.”

The club’s youngsters are now back in training and have returned to Beveridge Park to the sight of a stunning new mural in the stand, painted by Dundee artist, Paco Graff.

Corgi said: “We wonder if the people who have been up at the club, spray painting and vandalising, fancy themselves as graffiti artists, so with us putting the work of a graffiti artist up there, we hope they will respect that and won’t damage it.

“Paco is a real master and we want to be seen in the community to be as up-to-date as possible.”

He added: “We hope it sends out a message that as a club we encourage expression and diversity.”