Dozens of runners will be pounding the streets of two of the UK’s biggest cities to remember Manchester Arena attack victim Eilidh Macleod.
More than 80 runners are hitting Manchester and Edinburgh over the next two weekends in memory of the Barra schoolgirl killed at the Arianna Grande concert in May 2017.
As the second anniversary approaches the runners – including some of Eilidh’s friends and former pipe bandmates – have signed up to support the Eilidh MacLeod Memorial Trust which was created in the 14-year-old’s memory to support other young people following in her musical footsteps.
This is the first significant fundraising activity under the banner of Eilidh’s Trust since it was established in October last year.
Katie MacDonald from the Isle of Barra who played the pipes alongside Eilidh is running the Edinburgh 10k in memory of her friend and former bandmate. She said: “I can’t believe it’s two years since we lost Eilidh so tragically, but running in her memory and raising money for her legacy is really important to me which is why I jumped at the chance of running the Edinburgh 10k.
“I’m looking forward to being part of Team Eilidh and supporting their work. Music is such a big element of our lives on the islands so it’s great that I can help other musicians have the same opportunities I have had to learn an instrument and be part of a band.”
In Manchester this weekend, 50 runners will don the Team Eilidh running top and the following weekend will see 35 hitting the streets of the capital – including one person playing the bagpipes. Runners are taking on a 5k, 10k or the half marathon, depending on their preference.
Eilidh’s Trust founder Suzanne White – who is running in both cities – said: “To have more than 80 people running for the Trust is way beyond what we expected. This is a great first set of events for Eilidh’s Trust and reinforces the support we’ve had since the outset. I can’t wait to see Team Eilidh on the streets of Manchester and Edinburgh raising the profile of the Trust and really getting us off to a great start.
“We are also grateful for the support we’ve had in preparing for the events – especially LCC Live Events who have kindly sponsored our running tops, and for the goodwill of designer Bradley Edwards and Ravensport Sport and Leisure for designing and producing the tops.”