I’m pleased to report that Scottish rugby legend Scott Hastings and staff from Hotel du Vin and Malmaison completed the West Highland at Fort William today, in support of The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation.
To give you the background Colin Montgomerie, who walked the first leg with the team, established the charity in memory of his late mother. The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation has been chosen as Hotel du Vin and Malmaison Group’s official charity in Scotland for 2009 and 2010 and the West Highland Way activity hopes to raise £100,000 for the cause.
Scottish football manager George Burley and rugby hero, Gavin Hastings OBE joined the Hotel du Vin and Malmaison team, made up of General Managers, Regional Directors and the CEO amongst other staff, for the five days walking the gruelling 94 miles long West Highland Way. For the length of 25 golf courses, they walked along the mountains of Scotland from Milngavie near Glasgow to Fort William since last Monday.
Robert Cook, CEO, Hotel du Vin and Malmaison, commented: “Staff across our Scotland, England and Northern Ireland based hotels have shown real commitment in supporting Colin in this ambitious and important project and by walking the West Highland Way we are aiming to raise a further £100,000. Together with Colin, Gavin, Scott and George, the team is immensely proud of what we have achieved.”
Colin Montgomerie, added: “Since the launch of the Foundation, we have raised a considerable amount of money to help cancer patients and their families who are in a real need of both practical and emotional support. The commitment from the Hotel du Vin and Malmaison Group has been tremendous and will help us to reach our target to support as many people affected by cancer as we can. The Foundation is very important to me and my family and we were extremely proud to walk the first leg, which was over 12 miles, with Robert and his colleagues.”
In its first project, The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation is raising funds to build a new Centre in conjunction with the Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in Lanarkshire to provide practical and emotional support to cancer patients, their families and carers. The Elizabeth Montgomerie Building will be based at Monklands Hospital, Lanarkshire and will be designed by one of the world’s leading architects.
Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s Care Centres, said: “With some of the highest cancer rates in Europe, there is a real need for a Maggie’s Centre in Lanarkshire. We are now seeing the plans of the new Centre at Monkland’s Hospital coming together and this would not be possible without the help of Colin, Gaynor and the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation and their supporters like the Hotel du Vin and Malmaison Group.”
The leading lifestyle hotel group has hosted a series of charity events, organised staff fundraising activities and a discretionary £1 has been added to guests’ bills to go towards the charity throughout the year.
To show your support for the team from Malmaison & Hotel du Vin, log on to www.scf.workwithus.org to donate. Alternatively, you can donate in person to any Malmaison or Hotel du Vin in the UK.
