The Provost of East Dunbartonshire is set to take on five unique challenges in the run-up to the Kirkintilloch Canal Festival.

Provost Gillian Renwick will raise funds for two great causes ahead of the event when it returns on August 26 and 27.

Provost Renwick and Depute Provost Colette McDiarmid are undertaking five unique challenges throughout East Dunbartonshire such as a swimathon, sailing the canal, hillwalking in the Campsies, cycling the John Muir Way and walking the canal towpath.

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The pair are looking to raise awareness of the Canal Festival and to raise money for East Dunbartonshire Association for Mental Health (EDAMH) and Young Lives vs Cancer.

Provost Renwick said: “We are sailing the canal, hillwalking in the Campsies, cycling the John Muir Way and walking the canal towpath.

"We would also like the community to join us in swimming 25,000 lengths of our three local swimming pools as part of a community swimathon.”

The Community Swimathon will run from August 1 to 25 and those visiting the pools at the Allander, Leisuredrome and Kirkintilloch leisure centres will be able to pledge the lengths they are contributing at pledge sheets at the reception desks.

Weekly totals will be shared with the final pool lengths achieved – and importantly, total funds raised – at the Canal Festival gala night on Saturday, August 26.

Provost Renwick added: “We felt this was a fun way to raise awareness of the much-loved Canal Festival and raise essential funds for two important causes that the Depute Provost and I are very keen to support.

"I look forward to hearing how our community swimathon pledges are progressing in the coming weeks and look forward to sharing the total funds we manage to raise at the Gala event on Saturday, August 26 – wish us both luck in our challenges!”

The Pentathlon activities are as follows:

Community Swimathon ( August 1 to 25)

  • A 25,000-length swimathon – An opportunity for the community to contribute to the tally of lengths at the three local swimming pools. 

Steering the Boat (August 3)

  • The Provost will take to the tiller of a canal boat with the Seagull Trust, sailing from the Marina in Kirkintilloch to Hillhead Basin and back again

Campsie Hill Walk (August 10)

  • A 4.8km hill walk from Clachan of Campsie to Cort ma Law in the Campsie Hills

On yer Bike (August 16)

  • An 18km cycle ride from Mugdock Park to Strathblane and along the old railway track/John Muir Way to the Marina HQ in Kirkintilloch

Tow the Line (August 24)

  • A 5.8 km tow-path walk along the Forth and Clyde Canal from the Leisuredrome in Bishopbriggs to Marina HQ – the heart of the Canal Festival Activity

Glasgow Times:

A Provost’s Canal Festival Pentathlon Just Giving page has been established and anyone wishing to sponsor the Provost and Depute Provost in their endeavours can head to www.justgiving.com/team/ed-provosts-pentathlon to make their donation.