Furniture retail veteran David Tracey to walk West Highland Way for industry charity

Furniture retail professional David Tracey is lacing up his walking boots once again in May to hike the famed West Highland Way in Scotland to raise £3,000 for our charity. 

The West Highland Way – established as Scotland’s first long-distance route in 1980 – starts in Milngavie, just North of Glasgow, and finishes in Fort William. It traverses some of the finest mountain and lakeside scenery in Scotland, including the beautiful Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and the infamous Devil’s Staircase in Glen Coe.

David will be setting off on the 96-mile walk that has a combined elevation of 10,500 feet on 8 May 2024, aiming to complete the trek in seven days.

David has worked in the furnishing industry for 40-plus years in senior and director level roles in companies including Dreams, Wickes, Harveys, Hygena, MFI, Moores Furniture Group and Wesley Barrell. He will be joined on the walk by Steve Atkinson and Doug McEwan who is travelling over from Australia for the trek.

David said: “While I will enjoy this endeavour, I am sure it will not be without its challenges and as such I thought it would be appropriate to take on the challenge on behalf of a charity close to my heart – The Furniture Makers’ Company.

 “I have spent a large part of my career in and around the furniture industry and I am now a freeman of The Furniture Makers’ Company, which through its charity helps to support those in the industry who need assistance.

“The welfare programme is an invaluable source of financial support for those in need. As we are only too aware, all charities remain under intense pressure to raise funds. Any support you can give will be very much appreciated by me and the charity.”

David previously raised £11,000 for the charity in 2021 by walking the 192-mile Coast to Coast trailway that crosses the breadth of northern England, starting in St Bees, Cumbria and finishing at Robin Hoods Bay, North Yorkshire.

Jonny Westbrooke, CEO of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “We can’t thank David enough for taking on this tremendous challenge in aid of The Furniture Makers’ Company. We were blown away in 2021 when he raised a huge £11,000 for the charity and are incredibly grateful that he is once again donning his walking boots to fundraise for us. We wish him and his companions the best of luck.”