A JOHNSTONE gran is going the extra mile for charity...by agreeing to walk 10,000 steps every day in March.

Susan Temple, 55, has already raised a whopping £8,400 for MND Scotland over the years and is hoping her latest challenge will take her total up to £10,000.

The gran-of-two, who has worked at Johnstone train station for the past 14 years, was a member of the ScotRail Alliance charity committee, helping to choose MND Scotland as the firm’s charity partner in 2017.

Since then, Susan has been raising funds and awareness on behalf of those battling Motor Neurone Disease.

There is currently no cure for the muscle-wasting disease, which can cause sufferers to lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink or breathe unaided.

Susan said: “I had never really heard of MND before. I knew former footballers Jimmy Johnstone and Fernando Ricksen had it but I didn’t really know what that meant until MND Scotland became our charity partner.

“Hearing stories from people affected really inspired me to do what I can.”
Over the past three years, Susan has organised bucket collections and raffles, as well as a fun night dubbed Raise Your Voice, which coined in more than £4,000.

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“Raise Your Voice was a great event,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without the help of my amazing friend Linda Boyd, who helped me organise it.”

Susan has roped in friends, family and even strangers in her efforts to raise cash.

“I get everyone involved,” she said. “My daughter did a zip-slide across the Clyde for MND Scotland and my friend did a Forth Bridge abseil because I’m scared of heights.

“I did the Glasgow Kiltwalk with my grandkids Freya and Etta in 2018 and they are now MND Scotland champions too.”

Susan admits walking 10,000 steps every day in March will be a challenge but she is determined to meet it head on.

“That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?” she said. “I’m hoping other ScotRail staff are going to join me and I have four signed up already.

“This community supports everything I do. Whether it’s a penny or a pound, it’s all helping to get us to that cure.

“MND takes no prisoners. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich, poor or the fittest person in the world, it can affect anyone, at any time, from any walk of life.”

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