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Wednesday 21 Oct 2009

FORTH BRIDGE CHARITY ABSEILERS ROPE IN A MILLION

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Six years on from the first sponsored event, dare-devil fundraisers abseiling from the Forth Bridge have spectacularly broken the million pound barrier.

The magic total was reached on Sunday 11 October, when organisers Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS) arranged for climbing enthusiasts, Alex Harrison and fiancée Ellen McBride to tie the knot while dangling from a rope attached to the world famous bridge.

Joining them 165 feet in the air was courageous minister Mark Drane alongside bridesmaid Karen Dunbar and best man Ray Will. Alongside dozens of other thrill seekers, the couple raised over £104,000 for a range of charities.

The impressive sum pushed the total raised through Forth Bridge abseils to £1,080,000 over the past six years. CHSS has benefited to the tune of £438,000 over that period, with a further 46 charities receiving donations of varying sums over the same period.

Ron McAulay, Network Rail’s Director, Scotland commented:

“It’s a huge achievement to have raised such a massive sum for good causes and I’d like to congratulate the organisers, the Forth Bridge staff and the members of the public with nerves of steel and hearts of gold for all the efforts they have made to reach this total.

Chris Marks, Regional Fundraising & Events Manager for CHSS commented:

"We are tremendously grateful to Network Rail, and principal contractor Balfour Beatty, for their ongoing support for this event. Although Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland organises the event each year, we have also worked with 46 other Scottish charities since the first abseil in 2003, allowing other, often smaller, charities to benefit from this incredible event.

“We are over the moon at breaking the £1million barrier, and it is a true testament to the hard work of the thousands of people who have taken part over the years, making a difference to thousands of lives, and benefiting many more projects around Scotland.”

The annual Forth Bridge charity abseil is a fun activity for all, including those who have never abseiled before, however, the skill does have serious applications on the Forth Bridge. With over 200 contractors currently operating on the bridge, Network Rail employs a team of professional abseilers to help construct the scaffolding system used in the bridge painting process and to help aid evacuation in the unlikely event of a serious accident.

The Forth Bridge is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, with Network Rail investing over £17m a year stripping back the old paintwork and applying a new paint system which is expected to require minimal maintenance for up to thirty years.

Anyone who would like to take part in the next abseil in 2010 can do so by visiting the CHSS website: www.ultimateabseil.com