Blister Sisters set out to help hospice

The friends, who got together via the Facebook group Old Kilsyth Pictures, are planning to walk the West Highland Way over six days beginning on Good Friday.

One member, Elaine Hunter, said: “Most of us had never met before joining the Facebook group which led to lots of discussion and meet-ups at the Coachman.

“We realised we have all had someone cared for at Strathcarron and so it is very close to us all, and we wanted to do something together to support it.”

Caroline Bowe added: “We’ve called ourselves Zander and the Blister Sisters as we have been training hard for this with lots of other walks, and we have all earned a lot of blisters.”

The group has set up a fundraising page on the Justgiving website - see http://www.justgiving.com/teams/Blister-Sisters - and they have already beaten their fundraising target of £1650.

“The support we have had from the people of Kilsyth and elsewhere is just amazing,” added Elaine. “We’ve had donations come in from Kilsyth folk who now live in other countries such as the USA and Australia, as well as lots of support from people in the town.”

In addition to the online donations, sponsorship forms are available at greengrocer G Miller & Son and Parkfoot Social Club.

Caroline added: “To have raised over £1,000 in the first four days since we launched the appeal is just fantastic.”

Another member of the team, Gillian Glen, is an employee of Highland Spring who have contributed £250 in sponsorship.

Strathcarron Hospice provides specialist care for terminally ill people across the Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. To sustain its services it must raise over £70,000 every week.