Chestnut Tree House

Join Castle Night Trek

This is a special time of year at Chestnut Tree House. The swathes of snowdrops are giving way to nodding daffodils, heralding the arrival of spring.

If you are looking for new ways to immerse yourself in the Sussex springtime, you might be interested in signing up for our fabulous 13 May event, Castle Night Trek. Taking place in the glorious grounds of Herstmonceux Castle, this is a 10km all-terrain route through historic 1066 Country, with twinkling lights to lead the way. We’ll watch the sun set before trekking through the night together to reflect the 24/7 nature of the care provided by Chestnut Tree House. One participant is Vicky Sykes, whose daughter, Tiger-Lily, receives care at the House. Tiger-Lily is a sociable and funloving five-year-old who loves horse-riding, going to festivals and playing with friends. But when she was just six weeks old, Tiger-Lily had to be fitted with a tracheostomy after doctors discovered she had Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS), which means she stops breathing as soon as she falls asleep. The condition is so rare that it’s thought to only affect 100 families in the UK. Tiger-Lily looks forward to her community visits and likes to stay at the hospice, where she enjoys the drums in the music room, painting, and going on treasure hunts in the woodland walk. Last year, Vicky took part in Castle Night Trek, and she enjoyed it so much that she’s planning to do so again this May.

“It means a great deal to me that people taking part in Castle Night Trek are raising money to help children like my Tiger-Lily,” she told us. Get 10 per cent off your entry fee before 10 March by using our Early Bird offer code: CAS23EB. www.chestnut.org.uk/castlenighttrek