Walk to Remember 2011 raises £46000!

This year 626 women came together to raise an estimated £46000 at our fifth annual St Mary’s Hospice - Walk to Remember on Friday 20th May. Hundreds of ladies dressed in pink packed into Barrow’s Asda car park before forming an eye-catching parade through the streets of Barrow to support St Mary’s.

Whether it was their first time or their fifth, every woman who tackled the seven-and-a-half-mile route was walking to remember a special someone and to help support the work of the charity.

Walkers enjoyed a five-minute warm-up courtesy of local gym instructor Kelly Brook from Nuffield Health, Barrow, and Dalton Leisure Centre.

This year the walkers were set on their way by Barrow deputy mayor, Councillor Wendy Maddox, just after 10pm. From there it was up and away past Barrow AFC’s Holker Street football ground and up Cemetery Hill towards Thorncliffe Road.

As far as the eye could see, a swarm of matching pink T-shirts flashing bunny ears, deely-boppers and crowns wove through the streets of Barrow, as groups of friends, family and colleagues tackled the two-to-three-hour walk together.

One brave woman taking part was Ami Beckman, 35, who was walking in memory of her husband, David, who died in March of a brain tumour. Still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her beloved husband she, Daisy the dog and 13 others managed to raise more than £1700 for the hospice which provided essential care in the home during the final few weeks of David’s life.

Speaking just before the walk, after a long drive from her home in Sunderland, the former Barrow woman said: “I just wanted to give something back to say thank you so much for looking after him.”

“This walk is to remember David. I’ll never forget him. It is also to give something back to the nurses, who are just so committed to what they do.”

“Taking part in the Walk to Remember is just so important in raising awareness and recognition of the great work the hospice does for so many people and the commitment of all the staff.”

Zoe Guest, fundraising and operations manager at St Mary’s Hospice, said: “On behalf of the fundraising team at St Mary’s Hospice, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part, marshalled, and helped with making arrangements or registration of walkers at our Walk to Remember. We were delighted that we had 626 ladies taking part and we appreciate so much all the support that we received from everyone involved and the many people who sponsored them.”

“Without the support of the community of Furness and South Lakes we wouldn’t be able to help local people who require our care. A special thank you must go to Asda Barrow for all their support prior to the event and on the night, Paul Beddall of Beddall’s newsagents, who provided all the Mars bars for participants, BAE First Aiders, Bob Clegg, the team from Furness Peninsulas Rotary and the many other volunteers who came to help marshal at the event and keep everyone safe, as well as the Evening Mail and The Bay Radio, who promoted the event on our behalf, without any of whom it wouldn’t have been possible.

“We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2012.”