A FINANCIAL expert brought in to help run the troubled charity Kiltwalk has revealed that its mission to raise funds to help sick children is a cause close to his heart following his daughter's recovery from cancer.
Mark Harvey, a senior partner at accountants Ernst and Young, is one of three trustees installed on the beleaguered fundraiser's board after the Hunter Foundation offered its assistance.
The Kiltwalk, which organises sponsored walks around Scotland and beyond, has been dogged by accusations of financial mismanagement which led to a number of charities walking away and founder Carey McEvoy resigning as chief executive.
Now Mr Harvey and fellow board members Ewan Hunter, chief executive of the Hunter Foundation, and Sean Tracey, former chief executive of the five-a-side football company Powerleague, have pledged to get the charity back on an even keel and restore its credibility.
The 42-year-old said that he had been looking to lend his expertise to a good cause after his daughter Sophie was diagnosed with leukemia six years ago when she was three-years-old.
Sophie has now recovered from her illness, and Mr Harvey said that Kiltwalk, which has raised millions for children's groups, provided the perfect opportunity to allow him to repay back some of the support his family received.
He said: "I have seen first hand where the money from Kiltwalk has gone, charities like the Yorkhill Foundation and Clic Sargent. Really important children's charities.
"When Sophie was ill I saw the other side, and I saw how these charities can help people. It was a really difficult time for us, and there are people who go through that every single day.
"If I can do something to help those families, then I will. I was looking around for something and this is the perfect way to use my skills to pay back the help that we received."
Concerns over the Kiltwalk's finances surfaced earlier this year when four of Scotland's biggest children's charities - Cash For Kids, Aberlour, Clic Sargent and Edinburgh Sick Kids - said they would no longer work with the charity.
The Kiltwalk's last accounts show that income in 2013 was £1.6million, but the value of grants came to £783,000.
Among the controversies surrounding the charity was a trek organised in Brazil which finished in June last year at the height of the World Cup, with Mr McEvoy paid to go on the event as its representative.
Kiltwalk also paid for senior staff members to go to New York for an event that only twelve people participated in, with less than half the money raised passed on to good causes.
Mr Harvey said that while the Kiltwalk brand had been damaged, the charity was still a recognisable force in the third sector which was capable of raising millions for good causes, and that it deserved to have its reputation restored.
He said: "I thought I could use my particular skill set to help the organisation and get real leverage from my expertise.
"We need to ensure that Kiltwalk has credibility - if someone is going to fundraise under its banner, they need to know that they money they collect is going to the good cause that they support.
"We need to restore confidence so that people who are doing the walks know where their money is going. This is about raising money for children's charities, and doing something good for the people who take part as well."
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