WHEN tens of thousands of people take part in the All Under One Banner march and rally for independence in Edinburgh on October 6, eight of the participants will have more reason than most to be footsore.

That’s because they volunteers will hopefully have just completed a 500 mile walk from the Isle of Skye to highlight the case for independence.

The walk will be opened by Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, and has received formal support from Charlie and Craig Reid, The Proclaimers, the original “walk 500 miles” singers.

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The eight walkers are set to depart from Portree on September 15 and will arrive in Edinburgh on October 6, meeting up at the Scottish Parliament.

What is very interesting to note is that rather than just a simple protest march, the walkers are dedicating some of their time over the three weeks to highlight a major new technological innovation in digital democracy.

As part of their activities, the real eightsome have agreed to highlight the positive capabilities for the relatively new Blockchain technology for Scotland and its public services and infrastructure.

The Scottish Government and its Blockchain public infrastructure partner –Edinburgh-based Wallet Services – have now delivered a report defining that the technology will have profound benefits across the span of public services.

A spokesperson said: “In their efforts to engage with as many Scots as possible, the walkers, along with numerous volunteers and organisers will be donating three weeks of their lives to the project, and it’s hoped that the event will draw attention to the benefits of the use of Blockchain’s #DLT distributed ledger technology.”

A key target audience for them will be the 800,000 Scots that did not participate in the 2014 referendum.

The spokesperson added: “That section of Scotland exists mostly in impoverished demographics.

“The walk is promoting the message that the switch to digital democracy underpinned with Blockchain technology security, delivers capability for unprecedented community activism.

“The result? All Scots can then become more fully involved in making future decisions.”

The Scottish Government is now finalising unique digital ID numbers for all Scots who don’t yet have one.

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The well-known independence campaigner Dave Llewellyn, who will be taking part in the walk, said: ‘We are a group who are highlighting that our government must act to introduce Blockchain technology into as much of Scottish life as is possible.

“There are tectonic plates getting moved into place by technologists and activists the length and breadth of Scotland.”