Mum inspires Isla to ‘zip it’ for SBH Scotland

Student Isla Horsburgh, 19, from Edinburgh took to the sky over Glasgow’s River Clyde to raise money for a cause that is very close to her heart, SBH Scotland. 

Isla, who is studying medicine, was inspired to take part in Zipslide the Clyde on the 31st August and raise money for SBH Scotland in honour of her mum Gillian Horsburgh (both pictured), who has spina bifida. Isla’s mum Gillian is a member of SBH Scotland and is supported by the charity. She regularly attends SBH Scotland’s adult social groups in Edinburgh where she thoroughly enjoys getting out and meeting up with her charity friends.

Through her mum, Isla has seen firsthand the impact of SBH Scotland’s work in building a supportive community and offering advice and help to all those affected by the life long, complex disabilities of spina bifida and hydrocephalus. She has been inspired to raise vital funds to enable the charity to support more adults and families in Edinburgh and beyond.

Zipslide the Clyde offers a unique and thrilling way to see Glasgow’s cityscape. The challenge sees participants launched off from a crane next to the Riverside Museum from an exhilarating 100ft high for an 1245ft long adventure over the famous Clyde.

3 incredible weekends of zipslide raise £163,000 for SBH Scotland

SBH Scotland is absolutely thrilled to announce that this year’s Zipslide the Clyde event is set to raise a phenomenal £163,000! Over three incredible weekends from the end of August—70 brave participants soared through the skies to raise money for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBH Scotland). And the excitement doesn’t stop there, as throughout September, over 1,530 people took on this thrilling event on behalf of 65 other wonderful charities across Scotland.

A High-Flying Adventure for a Good Cause

Zipslide the Clyde has quickly become a beloved charity event, offering a thrilling, one-of-a-kind way to see Glasgow’s stunning cityscape while raising much-needed funds for vital causes. Participants are launched off a 100ft-high crane next to Glasgow’s Riverside Museum, soaring across the Clyde River on an exhilarating 1,245ft journey. It’s not only a heart-pounding adventure, but a chance to make a real difference in people’s lives.

Chisholm Hunter’s Generous Contribution

We want to give a special shout-out to luxury jewellery brand Chisholm Hunter, who made a spectacular contribution to this year’s event. A third of SBH Scotland’s participants were from Chisholm Hunter, with 23 staff members taking to the skies on the very first day, raising an amazing £5,000 for SBH Scotland. We’re beyond grateful to their Chairman, Harry Brown, who generously matched the amount raised, bringing their total contribution to a whopping £10,000!

Call for clarity on government spending cuts

Reacting to the Cabinet Secretary Shona Robison’s statement in Parliament on Tuesday, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland CEO, Lawrence Cowan said: 

“The talk of further ‘difficult decisions’ ahead is incredibly concerning. 

“We did not receive a commitment today to protect people with disabilities from budget cuts. We will be seeking that commitment as we head into the Budget. 

“People we work with say that they already have to constantly fight for basic support. 

“If those services are worn away even further, we will see greater inequality and more injustices experienced by disabled people. We cannot let that happen. 

“We also urgently need clarity on what today’s announcement means for charities like ours. We’re facing a 22% cut in Scottish Government funding this year – a total cut of 42% since 2018. If that money doesn’t come through, we won’t be able to reach people who desperately need help right now. 

Give us a Chance - Sign our Open Letter to the First Minister

The Scottish Government has announced budget cuts are coming and SBH Scotland are calling for the First Minister to protect disabled people from cuts - giving everyone a chance in life. Help us by signing our Open Letter.

SBH Scotland could be facing a 22% reduction in Scottish Government funding, but this is about much more than that. The services that we all rely on to give disabled people a chance in life could be affected. We need to show that we won’t stand for it. 

Dear First Minister,

We are urging you to make sure that disabled people are protected from future cuts.

We and our loved ones are more reliant on good quality public services to live. Many of these services are already feeling the strain and further cuts could be devastating. 

Half of all households living in poverty have at least one member with a disability. Disabled people are over twice as likely to experience loneliness compared to non-disabled people.

Charities like SBH Scotland give us a place to belong, to meet people who are going through the same things and for kids with spina bifida and hydrocephalus to have fun and just be kids. They are facing a 22% cut in funding from your government this year unless further funds are confirmed. We need the work of this charity more than ever.

We cannot let these inequalities become further entrenched. Please, protect disabled people from cuts and release funding for vital charities like SBH Scotland.

We all have so much to give our society and our economy. Give us a chance.  With your support we can be unstoppable.

Yours Sincerely,

Lawrence Cowan, CEO SBH Scotland

Elenor Leckie, Parent