Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is inviting walkers to dust off their crimpers, grab their leg warmers and give their Saturday night the disco fever, at their annual memory walk this year! Star Shine Night Walk will go retro with a 1980s theme on Saturday 18 May.
This year’s fun-filled neon walk will start at 8pm. Walkers take on a 6.5 or 10-mile route taking in some of Cambridge’s most historical streets and beautiful countryside, which starts and finishes at the Shelford Rugby Club.
The Charity is hopeful that ‘Call the Midwife’ star, Cliff Parisi’s filming commitments will once again allow him to join them for the special event. Last year participants were thrilled when the actor - who plays handyman and gardener Fred Buckle in the well-loved BBC period drama - posed for photos, assisted with the warm-up and rallied them across the start-line!
Tasha Hills, Senior Events Officer, comments: “‘We’re so excited’ about walking back to the 1980s with Star Shine Night Walk this year: “Don’t stop us now, we’re gonna have a good time, we’ll be having a ball”! It’ll be great to see how walkers dress up for the decade and show off their moon-walking skills, as they give their Saturday night the ‘Disco Fever’.
“It was incredible that £35,000 was raised for our 10th anniversary last year and we are very much hoping to ‘Beat It’ this year. So many people walk in memory of someone they love and it’s wonderful to see them celebrating together whilst supporting our Hospice, so our essential services can continue to care for more loved ones, in the future.”
Emma Thong from Cambridge took part with eight others last year as part of ‘Team Louise’ in memory of her sister-in-law. Collectively the family-team raised over £1000 for the Hospice. She said: “Going through the finish line at the end was tearful. It was kind of like an end. But it was good: the feeling and the ambiance and everything. At one point some people behind us were singing really cheery songs. […] We were saying after about how nice it was that people were happy and I think that everyone felt the same way. We’d all been kind of there and knew what it’s like and we were just all supporting each other.”
Those taking part are encouraged to raise funds for the Hospice through sponsorship. Since the walk started, it has raised more than £335,000 for the Charity which provides essential Hospice care to those living with a life-limiting illness in Cambridgeshire.
Arthur Rank Hospice needs to secure £8.1 million every year to deliver services free of charge to patients and their loved ones. About half of this currently comes from statutory sources, with further funds raised thanks to the wider local community, through events such as the Star Shine Night Walk.
Registration is now open at www.starshinewalk.co.uk/register for £17.50 per person. Registration fees cover the cost of putting on the walk, your t-shirt, medal, and refreshments (celebratory hot drinks and bacon or veggie rolls at the finish line). Teams of up to 10 adults can register on the website, with larger groups invited to contact the Hospice on 01223 675888 or fundraising@arhc.org.uk.
Local businesses are also invited to show their support by sponsoring one of the neon 1-mile markers which will guide walkers around the route. If your company or organisation would like to get involved in this way, please get in touch with Andrea Murauskas at Arthur Rank Hospice on 01223 675882 or andrea.murauskas@arhc.org.uk
Image:. Walkers taking part last year.
Credit: Nigel Mansfield