2025 marks CFINE’s third year of working with Saltire24 to raise funds to support our essential services.
This event has become an important part of our calendar with staff and volunteers looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the event. This year’s Saltire24 is happening on June 21st to 22nd 2025. This is the perfect time to reflect on the relationship between CFINE and Saltire24.
What is Saltire24?
Saltire24 is a twenty-four-hour race organised by Rebel PT. The race that is hosted at the scenic Knockburn Loch in Aberdeenshire, encourages individuals and teams to compete in the ultimate feat of endurance. Everyone is encouraged to join, whether you are running for the win, to challenge yourself or have fun in a team.
What is the link between Saltire24 and CFINE?
Sam Leys, CFINE’s senior operations and development manager has a long-standing connection with Rebel PT. Originally starting Rebel PT back in 2013 Sam was keen to improve her fitness. After struggling with her mental health, she became a true believer that exercise is a powerful medicine for improving mental health.
Since 2013 the scale of Rebel PT has grown immensely and now has hundreds of members across Scotland. In 2019 Rebel PT took the reins of organising a 24 hours running endurance event called Saltire24.
Sadly, due to COVID-19 the first event got delayed until June 2022. As a Rebel PT member Sam was eager to take part to support the owners of Rebel PT Tom & Alice. In 2022, Sam had her arm twisted by her good friend Elizabeth Pirrie to sign up for the event and raise money for CFINE. Sam then joined a six-person strong team called the ‘Plod Squad’ to take part in the event whilst having a laugh and raising money for CFINE.
The ’Plod Squad’ has taken different forms over the last few years with numbers dropping from five members to three. This year Sam will be joined by her good friends from the original ‘Plod Squad’ and Rebel PT members Elizabeth Pirrie and Connie Milne. Due to the nature of the race this means each member will now have more running to do! We wish them all the best.
The ‘Plod Squad’ is well known at Saltire24 due to their love for fun and dressing up. Often making multiple costume changes throughout the event. Each year the group sets up a Just Giving page to raise funds for CFINE, so keep an eye out for that.
In 2023 Tom & Alice approached Sam and asked if CFINE would like to be Saltire24’s charity partner. They took time to visit CFINE and learn more about the charity, including the different support services offered and how they positively impact our beneficiaries.
After the visit Tom, Alice and other members of Rebel PT where keen to support CFINE in anyway they could. This includes being involved in food drives and raising funds for CFINE.
In 2024 CFINE was able to raise £3,081 through Saltire24. Including the incredible story of Colin who completed 28.6 laps, 120.2 miles, in 23:53:09 and raised £2,415.
Why should you support CFINE and Saltire24?
CFINE’s core purpose and aims are to improve health and wellbeing and the environment, tackle poverty and build resilience for and with disadvantaged, vulnerable, low-income individuals, families and communities in North East Scotland.
To achieve this, CFINE delivers a wide range of support services. This includes access to food, inclusion and skills development, improving finance education and wellbeing. The demand on CFINE’s services continues to increase with around 130 people accessing the food bank each day. Funds raised through Saltire24 will allow CFINE to keep up with the increase in demand and continue to provide our essential wrap around services.
Every donation helps to make a difference. Donating £5, can help support a family with emergency food and toiletries for a week. £20 provides a person with dedicated benefits advice and support to better manage their money. £30 enables someone to attend a cooking skills course. £50 pays forward 20 weekly shops from CFINE's community pantry. £250 lets us deliver over 2,000 meals to charities and community organisations.
How can you get involved in Saltire24 and support CFINE?
CFINE and Saltire24 are looking for your support to make this year even more special. Corporate sponsors are always a huge part of making events like this run. HPF Aberdeen, MAC Architects and Mackies will be supporting this year’s event in different ways. MAC Architects have supplied a chillout zone for runners for the past few years and will be back for 2025. Mackies have also agreed to supply chocolate bars to hand out to runners on the day.
This year we are putting a call out to our corporate supporters to make this year bigger and better than ever before. We are looking for companies who are willing to help with the ideas listed below. We want to be able to treat the runners after their hard work as a thank you. In the hope they will pay forward the same gratitude and donate money to CFINE.
T-shirt sponsor
We are looking for an organisation to sponsor T-shirts that will be handed out to runners at the event. This is not only an opportunity for the runners to have a token from the event but also a great chance to get your companies name and logo out there. Don’t miss out, there are currently over 300 participants signed up for 2025 making it the biggest year yet.
Drink sponsor
Nothing will taste better than a well-deserved drink after a 24-hour run! Saltire24 have a running tradition of giving a free drink to runners at the end of the event. This year they are looking for a new sponsor to donate drinks to the cause. Whether you are an alcohol or soft drinks company please get in touch.
Create your own corporate team
Are you or your colleagues’ keen runners or simply looking to challenge yourselves? Create your own corporate team and help raise money for CFINE. Trust the ‘Plod Squad’ there is no better team building event than a Saltire24 run. There are rumours of a special corporate challenge this year so get involved and claim your bragging rights. If you are interested in organising your own corporate team, please contact saltire@rebelpt.co.uk.
Already signed up to Saltire24? Run for CFINE
If you or your friends are already coming to Saltire24 this year, consider running for CFINE. Setting up your own fundraising campaign is simple through our Just Giving Page.
We can’t wait for Saltire24 this year and look forward to seeing you there!
For further information about corporate support please contact sleys@cfine.org