Walking under the stars
Hospice hopes to raise £100k for vital services
WALKERS wore pink and their best bling to take on the challenge of the annual midnight walk for Michael Sobell Hospice on Friday, with an amazing £100,000 raised for the charity.
MICHAEL Sobell Hospice is hoping to net £100,000 after a thousand people joined in its sponsored midnight walk on Friday.
More than 60 teams of mostly women wearing pink, but also men and pooches, set off from the hospice in Northwood on a five and a half mile or nine mile walk under the moonlight.
Wearing pink cowboy hats, jewellery and bunny ears – and even flashing bones for the dogs – they collectively smashed the hospice’s target of £80,000, with proceeds going towards the provision of end of life care.
The event has been running for six years and is the biggest fundraiser in the Michael Sobell Hospice calendar.
It kicked off with a lively Zumba style warmup session on the lawn given by Angelo Pignone and his team from Highgrove Leisure Centre.
There was live music a along the route to keep walkers entertained, and walkers were offered fruit, water and sweets at stops along the way.
Ophelia Chambers-Henry, fundraising manager for the hospice, said: “We are so delighted with the amount of local people who came along and supported the event this year.
“The atmosphere was fantastic and everyone had a great night.
“Many of the walkers had some connection with the hospice and were walking in memory of friends and family, others simply wanted to support a good local cause.
“Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who gave up their free time and helped out on the night – we simply couldn’t have done it without them.” Roger Pollard of Savills, the event sponsor, said: “The work Michael Sobell Hospice carries out is absolutely essential and a cause close to our hearts.
“Many of our clients have connections with the hospice and we are delighted to be able to support it.”