On Saturday (6 June) 700 people took to the streets of Horsham walking through the night to raise an incredible £150,000 for their local hospice as part of St Catherine’s Hospice Midnight Walk.
The night-time participants chose from 2, 7, 13 or 17-mile routes, all starting and finishing at The Bridge Leisure Centre in Broadbridge Heath and passing through Horsham town centre. Along the way, dedicated volunteers lined the route, offering enthusiastic encouragement that kept spirits high and helped walkers push on through the night.
The charity’s flagship fundraiser saw people don glitter, face paint, light-up boppers and orange tutus before stepping out on their own or as part of a team for an illuminating night of fun.
Many people walked in memory of someone close to them and a poignant memory wall at the start was filled with precious photos and heartfelt tributes to loved ones.
A reflective area at Horsham Park’s bandstand provided another moment of remembrance, where walkers wrote special messages and lit candles for a loved one.
At the end of their walk, challengers were cheered across the finish line and given a medal before enjoying a celebratory breakfast with a glass of prosecco.
Walker Tracy took part for the third time and completed the seven-mile route for the hospice. When asked what motivated her to take part, she said, “I have known family and friends that have been looked after by the hospice so it’s incredibly important to me to raise money for this.
“It feels like one big family when you take part, everybody’s here for the same reason and the atmosphere is amazing. I have been taking part with a friend and we’ve had a good natter along the way and we have raised over 300% of our initial fundraising target.
“It doesn’t matter what fitness level you are or how many miles you walk, you know that every penny you raise goes to this amazing charity, and it’s such a fun thing to do. Everybody should do it!
St Catherine’s Event Fundraiser Emma Butler who led this year’s Midnight Walk said, “We are incredibly grateful to our community for coming together and walking through the night in support of St Catherine’s. It was truly inspiring to see 700 people taking part, many walking in memory of loved ones cared for by the hospice. There was an amazing sense of positivity and shared purpose throughout the night, and it was moving to witness our supporters take on this challenge to help fund our vital end of life care.
“We’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated volunteers. We had over 190 volunteers on the night who played such an important role in making the event run smoothly. Whether they were providing refreshments, guiding walkers along the route or welcoming participants, this event simply couldn’t have taken place without them.”
To find out how you can take part in future events for St Catherine’s, please visit: www.stch.org.uk/events.
photo credits: Makki Photography
About St Catherine’s Hospice:
St Catherine’s Hospice provides specialist end of life care and support to people living with a terminal or life-limiting condition and their families across West Sussex and East Surrey.
Every year, the hospice cares for around 2,000 people living with a terminal or life-limiting illness on its hospice Ward or out in the community.
As well as expert medical and nursing care, St Catherine’s also provides emotional and practical support through its dedicated Wellbeing Team, that provide a range of services including counselling, welfare advice, bereavement support and spiritual care to people we care for and their families.
It costs around £14 million to run the hospice each year but less than a third of this comes from the NHS. The rest is raised through the support and generosity of the local community.
St. Catherine’s Hospice, Grace Holland Avenue, Pease Pottage, West Sussex RH11 9SL
Switchboard: 01293 447333
www.stch.org.uk
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