An annual charitable mobilization by fettes college will channel this year’s proceeds to FetLor Youth Club, preserving access to Duke of Edinburgh opportunities for local children. The event, set for Sunday 22 March (ET), invites participants to run 5K, 10K or a half marathon distance across school grounds and city routes, while alumni worldwide will also take part from wherever they are. Organisers describe the initiative as inclusive and community-led, with fundraising earmarked specifically for the youth club’s award programme.
Background and context
FetLor Youth Club, established in 1924 by former pupils of Fettes College and Loretto School, currently welcomes more than 350 young people each week into a free, warm environment offering sport and creative activity. One of the club’s primary aims is to provide experiences and opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach for its members. The youth club also offers volunteering opportunities that carry SQA awarded points and a range of educational support, all delivered at no cost to participants.
The school has chosen to dedicate all money raised from the fun run to FetLor. This concentrated support is meant to sustain and expand the club’s capacity to fund the Duke of Edinburgh award, which the club says is a life-changing programme for participants who would otherwise lack access.
Fettes College charity run and expert perspectives
The event on Sunday 22 March (ET) will see hundreds of people take part in 5K, 10K or half marathon routes across the Fettes grounds and into the wider city. The programme is deliberately inclusive: participants may cycle, row, walk or run on treadmills as alternatives to track running, and alumni are encouraged to undertake their own runs remotely. The school has set an aspiration of raising around £10, 000 to support the youth club’s activities.
On the value of the Duke of Edinburgh programme for local young people, Dr Richie Adams, Chief Executive, FetLor Youth Club, said: “We’ve had the privilege of offering many young people the chance to take part in Duke of Edinburgh and have seen first-hand just how transformational it has been. With expanded horizons comes new aspirations and participating in the award helps our members see new opportunities and discover a higher potential. ”
Helen Harrison, Head of Fettes College, said: “The annual charity run at Fettes College is always a joyous spectacle and provides a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and Give Back. I am continually inspired by the team at FetLor Youth Club and their support of young people across Edinburgh. We are very proud to fundraise for them and their young members. ”
Regional impact and outlook
The immediate, measurable outcome sought from the run is financial: funds will be used to subsidise the Duke of Edinburgh award, which currently has 18 participants enrolled at the club. That direct link—community fundraising dedicated to a specified educational award—frames the event as a targeted intervention rather than a general appeal. FetLor’s capacity to sustain over 350 weekly attendees depends in part on such targeted support, and the run’s inclusive design is intended to increase participation and donations from a wide base, including former pupils.
By committing all proceeds to the youth club this year, organisers are signalling a prioritised response to local need: ensuring that a core developmental programme remains available to members who benefit from free access and accredited volunteering opportunities. The event’s mix of in-person and remote participation also attempts to broaden the donor and participant pool beyond the immediate geography of the club.
Will the concentrated fundraising push and alumni engagement be sufficient to secure the next cycle of Duke of Edinburgh participants and expand FetLor’s reach across the city? That is the question organisers must answer as they convert community momentum into the targeted support the youth club needs to sustain its programmes.
