Great Scot: Pc's A Star Trekker

From: Glasgow Sunday Mail, UK - Aug 21, 2004

William covers 35,000 miles to raise £20k for charities

By Julia Hunt

POLICEMAN William Crowe has travelled 35,000 miles around the world raising more than £20,000 for good causes.

The 42-year-old father-of-two from Dumbarton was inspired to throw himself into fundraising after surviving a horrific car crash 10 years ago.

He was travelling with a colleague in a patrol car on the M8 near Ibrox, Glasgow, when a drink-driver hit them head-on. William managed to crawl out of the fireball crash but his colleague and the drink driver died.

He said: 'I was very lucky to have survived. It made me realise life isn't a rehearsal.

'I'm so grateful to be here. I'm determined to make life better for others too.'

His fundraising drive started in 1998 when he saw an advert for a National Deaf Children's Society expedition in the Sunday Mail.

He managed to raise £2500 to fly to Cuba and cycle 300 miles. He had his legs waxed, organised karaoke nights and wrote pleading letters for sponsorship.

Since then, William has completed treks and cycle rides in China, the Amazon, New Zealand, the Sahara and Peru.

At home, he runs charity events and works with the Tullochan Trust, running activities for young people from deprived areas.

He said: 'I got a real buzz raising money for the Cuba trip. As soon as I was back, I began raising funds again. With another officer and two deaf sisters, we raised £10,000 to walk part of the Great Wall of China.'

The National Deaf Children's Society, the Children's Hospice Association Scotland, St Margaret's Hospice, Dumbarton Deaf Children's Association and Scottish Society for Autism have all benefited from his efforts.

On top of a 40-50 hour working week, William finds time to organise five-a-side football matches for kids and help them complete their Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

June McPherson, a youth work co-ordinator from the Tullochan Trust, who nominated William for our Great Scot award, said: 'He has an incredible energy for helping people and we are not the only charity who think he deserves to be nominated a Great Scot.'

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