Don your 'hospice hero' cape for the 10th Midnight Walk

It's official - the Woking & Sam Beare Hospices launched this year's Midnight Walk on 7th March at Woking Leisure Centre with headline sponsor Trident Honda.

This year's theme is 'Hospice Heroes' and we are now inviting ladies across Surrey to swish their cape's for the 10th Annual Woking & Sam Beare Hospices' Midnight Walk on Friday 19 May.

This ladies-only event will start at 8pm with a welcome and registration session, leaving Woking Leisure Centre at 10pm and following an eight mile route back to the centre. A refreshment station will be posted halfway at the new hospice currently being built in Goldsworth Park, Woking, due to open in Spring. Freedom Leisure, which operates Woking Leisure Centre, has kindly supported the popular event by providing the venue as well as training support for participants.

As part of the 'hospice hero' theme walkers can buy a bright pink 'hero' cape through Woking & Sam Beare Hospices. They can customise their cape at home beforehand or at a 'style my cape' stall during the welcome session at the beginning of the walk, to wear with the free event T-shirt featuring event mascot 'Owliver'. The now-traditional bunny ears will also be available to buy at the event.

More than 900 walkers raised more than £120,000 for the charity in 2016. This year it aims to recruit 1,000 walkers to mark the hospices' 21st year providing end-of-life care and support to more than 1,400 patients and their families across North Surrey.

Funds raised by walkers will go towards the charity's work within the hospice itself and towards the 70% of care delivered in people's own homes. Money raised will also support the completion of a new state-of-the-art hospice, which will have 20 en-suite bedrooms, day care centre, complementary therapy and counselling facilities, and a café. It will provide a centre of excellence and resources for staff and patients alike.

Interim CEO and Director of Nursing Jayne Cooper said:

I'll be walking with the members of our executive team and we're all looking forward to an evening that will be great fun, and to talking to other walkers about why they are supporting the hospice in this way. Our theme for the Midnight Walk this year is 'hospice heroes' and I hope lots of ladies will be inspired to join us, as everyone who fundraises and support our charity is a hero to us! A big thank you to Trident Honda, our headline sponsors, who are supporting this fantastic event for the first time.”

Trident Honda, which has supported Woking & Sam Beare Hospices during its 21 years of providing end-of-life care, committed in 2016 to be a major sponsor for the charity over three years.

Richard Roberts, Managing Director of Trident Honda said:

We have watched the Midnight Walk go from strength to strength since it started. We are delighted to be the headline sponsor for the 2017 event, helping to raise even more money for the hospice!”

Our picture features (left to right): our Events Co-ordinator Daniela Pulido-Lopera; Woking Leisure Centre's Centre Manager Jon Hames; our Interim CEO and Director of Nursing Jayne Cooper; event participant Patricia Chipping; Trident Honda's Managing Director Richard Roberts and our Head of Community, Corporate & Events Claire Coldicott.