One of Dundee’s biggest fundraising events has been cancelled for a year leaving hundreds of charity supporters disappointed.
Organisers of the Kiltwalk pulled the plug on both the city and the Speyside walks, claiming they were not economically viable.
Dundee’s first Kiltwalk, in 2014, attracted almost 980 people and helped raise thousands of pounds for children’s charities.
At the time, the troubled Scottish charity said the event had been a huge success and pledged it would return in 2015.
But its new board said that money raised by this year’s walk would do little more than cover running costs and that too little would go to good causes.
Perth’s Kiltwalk was cancelled for similar reasons in May, just days before it was scheduled to take place.
The announcements come little more than a week after businessman Sir Tom Hunter pledged to secure the future of the charity event by providing long-term funding and support.
Sir Tom, who is chairman of The Hunter Foundation, pledged to “redefine and improve the model, building on the foundations already in place, to maximise returns for charities and turbo-charge Scotland’s Kiltwalkers for 2016”.
At that point it was unclear that meant cancelling much of 2015’s events to regroup, but the charity has pledged to return stronger and better in 2016.
Kiltwalk interim chairman Ewan Hunter said: “It was abundantly clear to us that, as they stand, both the Dundee and Speyside walks are not economically viable.
“Had we continued with them every penny raised for charity would have been absorbed by operational costs.
“We are very sorry, but it was the right decision.”
Mr Hunter said it had become clear that the charity had “over-expanded” with its enthusiasm to raise money for good causes, leading to too many costs.
He pledged that the events would return “simple and transparent” in 2016, with every penny raised going directly to charity, and pledged to make the event great once again.
Fundraisers who have already registered for the Dundee event are being offered the choice of registration refunds or to roll their registration forward to 2016.
Money already raised can be passed directly to charities or refunded.
Perth and Kinross Council has already joined forces with Perth Autism Support to announce plans for an alternative event on August 8, the day the Perth Kiltwalk was scheduled to take place.
Those wishing to take part in the alternative Perth kilted walking event must reregister at www.perthkiltrun.co.uk and organisers hope Dundonians will now make the journey to Perth to join in.