Research has shown that men often find it harder to talk about life and death, share emotions and seek help when they need it. We hope the Hospice’s new event, Talk the Walk, will help raise awareness of its bereavement services and need for vital funds to reach more people.
The event, on April 9th, is a 10-mile walk that begins and finishes at Esher Rugby Club via Cobham Rugby ground, where walkers can stop for refreshments before continuing through Whiteley Village and back to Esher, in time for kick-off.
After listening to our supporters, we have introduced a shorter wheelchair accessible four-mile route setting off from Esher Rugby Club to the Hospice in West End Lane and back to the rugby club. Registration for both walks is £30 per person (£25 for 11-17 year-olds, and a discount of £5 per person for groups of four or more), which includes a rugby match day ticket to watch Esher vs Bury St Edmunds; a burger, a pint (or soft drink) and a Talk the Walk t-shirt.
Bereavement Lead at the Hospice, Sarah Friggieri, said:
“Men’s grief is no less intense than women’s grief. All people go through the same process regardless of gender, but for some it is sometimes unseen, not spoken about or misinterpreted – and this is sadly more likely for men. As much as society has changed in a lot of ways, the unhelpful notion of strength in silence can at times prevail for men, and that can result in them not always receiving the care and compassion they need and deserve.”
Community Partnerships and Events Lead, Claire Woodward added, “We offer our bereavement services to anyone who has lost a loved one under our care – men, women, young people and children. On this occasion, we created Talk the Walk to encourage men to come together, shoulder to shoulder and challenge themselves while having fun, making new friends and raising money for the Hospice. Please register for the event today – anyone aged 11 and over can take part to support the males in their life, and we hope they do. It’s sure to be a wonderful day with plenty of walking to work up an appetite!”
It cost the Hospice £10.1 million last year to provide its free care and support, and that figure is likely to increase year on year, with just a small proportion coming from NHS grants and service funding.
To find out more about the event and register, visit www.pah.org.uk/talkthewalk.
Notes to editors:
**We are extremely grateful to The Family Building Society who are sponsoring the event and have given us £2,500, and to Whiteley Village who are supporting the event by allowing the walk to travel through the village estate. **
Event information, including fees and how to register is here: https://www.pah.org.uk/events/talk-the-walk
Video links of men talking about the Talk the Walk event and their experience of grief:
Long clip (1min 11 secs):
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/670149372
Short clip (27 seconds):
Further information regarding our Bereavement Services can be found here https://www.pah.org.uk/our-care/our-bereavement-services/
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Princess Alice Hospice: For Compassion. For Excellence. For People. For Living.
Princess Alice Hospice has, for more than 35 years, provided free, high-quality, specialist end of life care to tens of thousands of people across a large part of Surrey, south west London and Middlesex. Today, at any one time, Hospice nurses, doctors and other specialist staff are looking after around 1,000 people in need. The Hospice’s mission is to reach out to even more people by delivering outstanding care to those that need it. To enable us to do this, we must rely on the commitment and support of our communities who help us to raise vital funds.
£10.1 million is needed each year to provide our vital services. With limited NHS funding provided by CCGs, which represents circa 24% of our expenditure on charitable activities, in more normal times, the balance is raised through legacies, fundraising, dedicated shop units and investments. It is only the generous support of our communities and beyond, that makes it possible to do our work.
Princess Alice Hospice is a charity providing all patient care and support free of charge. We give outstanding palliative and end of life care to adult patients, and support to their families and friends across a large part of Surrey, south west London and Middlesex. As a leading UK Hospice, learning, teaching and research are also central to our work, and we deliver innovative care programmes to both local and national audiences. Fundraising and community support are crucially important to our continued work as a charity and in supplementing our modest NHS grant.
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