Skye ‘bosom buddies’ take on 100k breast cancer fundraiser

Twenty-three Skye women are taking on the challenge of each walking or running 100 kilometres across the month of October to raise funds for the research and care charity Breast Cancer Now.


The women have joined forces to form a group called the Bosom Buddies, which is also serving as a motivational tool for exercise and a platform for socialising for the members.


Evelyn Brown, who is the figurehead for the fundraising group, told the Free Press: “I run a really informal running group and we are always looking for reasons to get out and do a few miles.


“This challenge popped up on Facebook, so I forwarded it to the girls. They all came back and said ‘Yip, I’m up for that!’”


Looking at the added benefits of the fundraiser, she said: “We are raising money for a good charity, and it is also making people get out and exercise – which is especially important in really difficult times like these.”

The running group members set up a WhatsApp support group for the challenge which now has 23 members.


Evelyn, who lives in Eyre in north Skye, told the Free Press that the group are taking on the 62-mile challenge in any way that they can.

“Some of us have been using routes around Skeabost and Borve, including forestry tracks,” she said.

“A lot of the girls are doing this challenge on their own, and those who can’t manage to get out have been using a treadmill. “We can’t all meet up, but we are keeping in touch and supporting each other through the group.”

She added: “If someone wants a bit of company when they are going for a walk they just put up a message on the chat.

“It doesn’t have to be running — it’s just about getting out and socialising a bit too, while keeping social distancing. “People are more inclined to go out with someone else if there’s a challenge.”


Ordinarily Breast Cancer Now asks each participant to fundraise individually for the charity but Evelyn decided to take a different approach in light of current economic challenges and the level of generosity already shown by the local community throughout the pandemic.


She said: “I know the whole purpose of the charity is for people to sign up and get donations individually — but I felt that the island had given so much that way, such as through Skye Community Response.


“An amazing amount of money has been raised and I think it is a difficult time to start asking people for more money. “So, just one of us — me, has signed up for the challenge.

“Rather than the girls fundraising individually, if they wanted to take part in it they had to sponsor me, so there is an element of donating but without the pressure of everyone having to fundraise.“I am standing at over £1,000 just now.”


For more information or to donate, see facebook.com/fundraisers/ and search for Bosom Buddies 100K fundraiser for Breast Cancer Now.