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Inverness judo star Stephanie Inglis launches her version of Save Steph to help people during coronavirus pandemic


By Andrew Dixon

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Stephanie Inglis was the guest speaker at a Haven Appeal sport quiz in Inverness last year.
Stephanie Inglis was the guest speaker at a Haven Appeal sport quiz in Inverness last year.

INVERNESS judo star Stephanie Inglis has launched a campaign to support vulnerable people.

The 31-year-old, whose sports career ended after a near-death motorbike accident in Vietnam four years ago, is helping provide food and other items to people.

Her campaign is called Save Steph #GivingItBack in reference to the online donations which saved her life after she received serious head injuries in the accident.

"The people of Scotland saved my life in my time of need, and now it is my turn to give back to the people of Scotland in their time of need," said Miss Inglis, who won a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

"In 2016, I was involved in a horrific motorcycle accident in Vietnam and left stranded in the country with a one per cent chance of survival. Without the kindness and generosity of people, I would not be here today so now I want to give back and help those vulnerable and struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Khalid Gehlan set up the Save Steph crowdfunding page which hundreds of people donated to help pay for my medical treatment and get me back to Scotland. I cannot thank people enough for helping me during my darkest hours. For a long time, I have been thinking of what I can do and ways that I can give back to the people of Scotland and help them the way they have helped me. My life was changed overnight and for everyone, Covid-19 has changed lives likewise.

"I see so many communities coming together and trying to help and support one another in whatever way they can.

"My mission is to help those vulnerable people who have nothing in this crisis. A lot of people are scared to shop and are unable to as they are getting no income and relying on charity. My goal is to set up a service where we can deliver food and help with payment for essential bills. I also want to do night-time drop-offs to homeless people living in the big cities who are finding it even tougher during this time. There is a way through this, we just have to come together once more and do whatever it takes to protect our communities."

Miss Inglis, who now lives in Duloch, said: "I am looking to start this out locally, Dunfermline (three-mile radius) and if it works well look to expand this throughout the country with other people taking the lead in their local area.

"I need a premises to be based out of, looking for an empty hall, church hall that can act as a base. From this base I am looking for volunteers to help pack up food packages and deliver to those vulnerable families.

"We are looking for people to donate any boxes that we can use to package up these deliveries and also any PPE. We would also need access to a couple of vans so we can drop off the packages to vulnerable families and do nightly drop-offs into the city. Food donations wherever possible and also monetary donations to the Go Fund appeal to help cover those struggling family’s essential bills."

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