Livingston student who took on Tough Mudder challenge for RAF charity says he ‘never felt more alive’
West Lothian fundraiser completes Tough Mudder challenge for RAF charity who helped his family
A Livingston student admits he “seriously surprised” himself after taking on the Tough Mudder challenge to raise funds for charity.
Brendan Gillan, 20, from Livingston, completed the challenge at Broughton Hall in Skipton on July, 26, raising more than £300 for the RAF Benevolent Fund.
The Charity, which has notably supported serving and former RAF personnel and their families for more than a century, provided assistance to Brendan’s family after his dad, Chris Gillan, was forced to end his nine-year RAF career following an injury while serving.
Brendan said the family later received support from the charity when their home was flooded, something which inspired him to give back.
He said: “I come from a military family, with several relatives having served in different branches of the Armed Forces. My biggest connection is through my dad, Chris Gillan, who served in the RAF for nine years.
“His career unfortunately ended after he sustained an injury while serving, preventing him from continuing his service.
“My family received support from the RAF Benevolent Fund after my dad's RAF career ended because of a service-related injury. During that time, our family home was flooded, and the Fund's support made a real difference.”
Brendan, who hopes to join the RAF himself after graduating from university, chose the Tough Mudder challenge as a way of putting himself to the test while raising money for a cause very close to his family. The challenge saw him tackle a series of obstacles alongside fellow participants, with Brendan describing the event as a test of his physical abilities.
He said: “The run was fantastic and I seriously surprised myself with my own capabilities.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the team spirit and camaraderie shared with all participants.”
However there was one particular obstacle that took Brendan by surprise as he took on an ice cold plunge...
He said: “I honestly have never felt more awake and alive than the ice plunge.
“The combination of sneaky ice cubes dropped on my top by an event volunteer and the completely unexpected depth of the ice pool made a cold shower feel like a bubble bath in comparison.”
Brendan said his family’s experience of receiving full support from the RAF Benevolent Fund was behind his decision to take on the challenge, he added: “Having seen first-hand the difference that support can make, I wanted to give something back by raising money to help them continue supporting other RAF families.
“Tough Mudder seemed like the perfect event to test myself physically while supporting an amazing charity. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me with this challenge.”
The RAF Benevolent Fund provides financial, emotional and practical support to serving and former RAF personnel as well as their partners and families. It’s work includes providing grants, welfare breaks, mental health support and youth programmes.
To support Mr Gillan, you can access his Just Giving page here.