Ross Sutherland Rugby Club: Highland woman to spend April litter picking along the A9 for local MND fundraiser

Becky Shaw is tired of the mess her home is left in by passing motorists and has decided to clean up the A9 as part of a fundraising drive being held across the Highlands.

Ms Shaw, from Golspie, is the captain of Team Sutherland in the March into May challenge, a fundraiser for the Ross Sutherland Rugby Club and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Instead of building up her miles in the traditional way by walking, running, cycling or swimming, Ms Shaw has decided to litter pick her way along the A9 throughout April.

She said: "I didn’t really want to just ask for sponsorship, I’ve been really enjoying getting my miles in, on foot and by bike, with or without the family, so I decided instead that I’d also clean a seven mile stretch of the A9 of litter.

Becky Shaw and Carene Ross litter picking by Loch Fleet.

"I do the bit closest to home regularly anyway because it really bugs me that such a lovely place is left looking such a mess.

"I thought I’d aim to do three or four miles each side of Golspie. I don’t understand what makes folk think that the best place for their empty drinks bottles, crisp packets and takeaway dishes is out their vehicle window.

"Someone even threw a bottle out on the roadside as we were litter-picking this week. Who does that?”

The March into May fundraiser features some friendly competition between five Highland areas, all competing to cover the most miles between March 28 and May 1, 2021.

Litter collected along a half mile stretch of Loch Fleet in Sutherland.

Each team has signed up dozens of participants, who are all making various efforts to build up their miles and sponsorship.

Linsey McPherson, membership secretary for Ross Sutherland Rugby Club, said: “I have never met Becky but I think what she is doing is outstanding, especially given the horrendous weather.

"I just managed my 5K walking in a blizzard on Monday, my ears were frozen and I had snowflakes on my eyelashes.”

Despite the conditions, Ms Shaw was joined this week by her Team Sutherland team-mate, Carene Ross.

Carene Ross joined Becky on Monday to litter pick in the snow by Loch Fleet.

The pair cleared a half mile stretch along the shore of Loch Fleet, collecting lots of dumped plastic which was already beginning to disappear into the vegetation.

Starting at one of the “messiest” sections of the A9, Ms Shaw is currently filling roughly one sack of rubbish every 100m.

She continued: “There’s lot of encouragement from passers-by. I’ve had waves, toots and thumbs-up as folk have driven past and sponsorship has come in pretty quickly since I said that this was what I was doing.

"Lots of friends locally have offered to give me a hand as we’ve all been looking at this mess for ages and thinking something needed to be done about it.”

An image of how the clubhouse at the Ross Sutherland Rugby Club will look once development work is completed.

To donate to Ms Shaw and team Sutherland, visit her Just Giving page here.

All money raised during the fundraiser will be split between the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which funds research into the causes of Motor Neuron Disease and investigates potential cures, and the Ross Sutherland Rugby Club.

The club covers a landmass approximately 13,800 square miles, the largest catchment area of any club in the UK.

This fundraiser is part of a drive to develop facilities in Invergordon so that the club can continue benefiting rural communities across the Highlands.

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