Almost 60 runners lined up to brave the cold and blow away those Hogmanay cobwebs when a local charity fun run got under starter’s orders.
A total of 57 runners and seven walkers gathered outside Buckie Episcopal Church for the town’s annual Sair Heidie run.
They’re off! The 2025 Buckie Sair Heidie fun run gets under way. Picture Jamie Stewart
The cold, windy but dry conditions that greeted the participants did not dent their enthusiasm and, thanks to their efforts, the sum of the £450 for the Buckie Wildcat Community First Responders to purchase essential life-saving equipment.
A donation was also made to the Episcopal Church for the use of their hall.
One of those delighted with another successful race was organiser Phill Thompson.
He said: “While the walkers were regulars who return every year, the runners were a mixture of regular local runners, regulars from further afield and some runners doing Sair Heidie for the first time.
“The first runner to finish was Aberlour’s Laurence Elliott in a time of 26 mins 30 sec, the fastest time for a few years. First lady home was Rathven resident Michelle Slater in 31 mins 2 sec, while the second lady was Niketa Cruickshank from Buckie.
First to take the tape was Aberlour’s Laurence Elliot. Picture Jamie Stewart
“The prizes for first male and female runners were kindly donated by Kyle Greig who produces the Tartan Running Shorts podcasts and is organiser of the Moray Ultramarathons Series which finish in Buckie and Cullen. Other prizes, raffle prizes and food and drink were donated by volunteers and participants and this was much appreciated as it allows all the money raised to be donated to the nominated charity.
”Local photographer Jamie Stewart took photos of all the runners and these can be seen on the Sair Heidie 2025 Facebook page, together with the full race results. There is a regular group of volunteers who help to organise and run the event and it could not take place without them but additional volunteers for 2026 will always be welcome.”
The next race will be a milestone one for the event, as Mr Thompson explained: “This was the 25 year anniversary of the first Sair Heidie event which was organised by local Buckie resident Paul Wojcik back in 2000.
“Having missed a couple of years during Covid, the next event will be the 25th actual running of the event and we look forward to seeing regulars and newcomers alike on January 1, 2026 to clear those sair heids , have a social run and raise money for a local charity.”
Local runner Michelle Slater was the first female runner home. Picture Jamie Stewart
The volunteer Buckie Wildcat Community First Responders operate under the Scottish Ambulance Service to help keep people suffering from cardiac arrests alive until paramedics arrive. The team covers an area spanning 200 square miles, running roughly from Mosstodloch in the west to Sandend in the east and down to Keith in the south.
Race organiser Phill Thompson (left) hands over a cheque for £450 to Iain Sandison from Buckie Wildcat Community First Responders. Picture Jamie Stewart