A Lochmaben man has completed a gruelling challenge to raise money for a charity close to his heart.
Colin Stevenson, a yard supervisor at Russell Roof Tiles in the royal burgh, climbed to the top of Criffel (inset) and in the process raised £1,400 for the Castle Loch Lochmaben Community Trust.
He managed the feat despite recovering from a major stroke in September 2019 and having part of his lung removed which made breathing and exercise a difficult task.
During his recovery, Colin found himself slowly venturing outdoors more and more, often visiting the Castle Loch where he began building up his strength.
At the beginning of May, just two years after his major operation, Colin set himself the challenge of reaching the top of Criffel, which has a 506m ascent, after Russell Roof Tiles announced it would match the donations that employees raised for local charities.
With the support of his family and daughter Karen Stevenson, who volunteered to join Colin on the challenge, they managed to reach the top in three and a half hours, before making the long descent back to ground level.
Colin said: “In 2019 my life completely changed, after having a small section of my lung removed and then suffering from a stroke, I never thought I’d be able to walk up Criffel.
“Thanks to the Castle Loch Lochmaben Community Trust, a charity based in my hometown, I was able to start walking around the loch and building my strength up little by little. This year, I wanted to take on something that would be a huge challenge and raise money for the charity that helped me get my life back. The climb wasn’t an easy one, but I got there. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends, family and colleagues.”
Colin has chosen to donate the £1,400 raised to the Castle Loch Lochmaben Community Trust, to ensure that the conservation of the area is maintained and that people within the community can continue to walk around the loch.
Bruce Laidlaw, operations director at Russell Roof Tiles said: “Colin is an inspiration to us all. He’s undeterred by his health condition and the 506m ascent.
“He’s the first person this year at Russell Roof Tiles to have taken on an extreme challenge on his own. He’s set the bar high and raised a significant amount for the Castle Loch Lochmaben Community Trust, a charity close to Colin and Russell Roof Tiles.
“From me and the rest of the team, you’ve done us all proud.”
