Workmates taking on St Catherine’s Hospice’s Moonlight and Memories Walk say the fundraiser is the perfect opportunity to work together as a team, in aid of a worthy cause.
Colleagues from Yorkshire Bank in Fishergate, Preston, are set to pound the pavements in the hospice’s annual night time trek on Saturday 1st July.
Branch manager’s assistant, Garry Wilkinson, said: “The Moonlight and Memories Walk is open to all – men, women and children – so it’s an ideal charity challenge for groups of people from different backgrounds and of mixed abilities.”
The team of 10 – consisting of staff, friends and family members – are taking on the 10-mile route from the hospice in Lostock Hall, heading through Penwortham, Preston and Bamber Bridge.
Yorkshire Bank has a partnership with national charity Hospice UK, of which St Catherine’s is a member. It means funds raised by staff for local hospices are match-funded by the bank.
“We’ve worked closely with St Catherine’s over the past few years,” Garry explained. “We’ve done the charity’s quiz nights, abseils and skydives between us, as well as things like cake sales in the branch.
“The walk is a chance for us all to come together with family and friends and do what we can to help the cause, and we’re really looking forward to it. We’ve been going out training together and really encouraging one another.”
He added: “We’ve all been touched by conditions like cancer one way or another, so it’s quite a bonding experience.
“On a personal level, my dad was supported by St John’s Hospice in Lancaster during his battle with pancreatic cancer, so I want to do the walk in his memory. The whole hospice movement does fantastic work and makes such a difference to people at very difficult times in their lives.”
St Catherine’s fundraiser Norman Cutler said: “It’s great to have the team from Yorkshire Bank on board with our Moonlight and Memories Walk and we’d love to hear from other businesses and community groups who might be interested in coming together to achieve something in the name of a good cause.
“With both a 10 and four-mile route available, we want to appeal to people of all ages and abilities and can promise a very special night at our biggest fundraiser of the year.
“Registration is £15 for adults and £10 for under-18s for either route, and people are encouraged to raise as much in sponsorship as possible to help us continue providing our specialist palliative and end-of-life care for local people.”
