Veteran Completes Charity Walk Wearing Nuclear Warfare Suit

An Army veteran has completed a six-and-a-half-mile walk wearing a nuclear warfare suit to raise money for Poppyscotland.

Gordon Macmillan, 66, who has lung damage and breathing difficulties, walked from Cameron Barracks to the war memorial at Cavell Gardens in Inverness on Friday.

He enlisted a friend from the ambulance service to tail him on the route.

"I’m wearing a nuclear biological warfare suit for military personnel and nothing gets into it, so if COVID tries it will not get through," Mr Macmillan said.

He also wore a sign urging people to donate to Poppyscotland’s 2020 Poppy Appeal.

The former Gordon Highlander saluted and laid a poppy at the war memorial when he finished the walk.

Gordon Michie, head of fundraising at Poppyscotland, said: "Gordon and the Poppy Ness veterans have done so much to support us over the years, and it’s amazing to see him going the extra mile for us once again."

Mr Michie said it has been "a very challenging Poppy Appeal" this year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he added it is "inspiring" to see people like Mr Macmillan be "so creative" in their fundraising.

"Selfless acts like this will go a long way to ensuring we can continue to provide our life-changing support to the Armed Forces community in the year ahead, and we would encourage the people of Inverness to give their support to Gordon’s fundraising campaign," he said.

Due to the pandemic, this year's Scottish Poppy Appeal has gone contactless as part of efforts to keep the public and volunteers safe.

The Scottish Poppy Appeal is the largest annual charity street collection in Scotland and raises almost £3m each year for ex-service personnel. 

Cover image: Army veteran Gordon Macmillan pictures wearing a nuclear warfare suit outside Cameron Barracks (Picture: Poppyscotland).