THREE generations of one family aged from 18 to 80 are stepping out together for one cause this summer.
Dr Kershaw’s volunteer Margaret Wright, from Royton, has signed up the ladies in her family for the ‘Virtual Hospice Walk’ in June.
Margaret, who turns 80 later this year, has been volunteering for the Royton-based hospice and at their events since she retired 20 years ago.
Now the launch of the hospice’s new virtual walk has spurred on Margaret to sign herself up along with her relatives.
Joining her will be daughter Chrissy Emerson with her two children, Charlotte and Chloe, along with Margaret’s granddaughter Danielle Wright and her mum Christine Scholes. Chloe will be the family’s youngest participant aged 18 – almost 62 years younger than Margaret!
The family friendly ‘Virtual Hospice Walk’ comes with the slogan ‘Your Walk, Your Day, Your Way’ to give participants the opportunity to take on a walk on their chosen day in June and their own route.
Walkers can take part with a route of 5km, or more if they want to challenge themselves, with all ages being encouraged to join in, and even four legged friends!
Margaret said: “When I saw the Virtual Hospice Walk, I thought what a brilliant idea! We can pick the distance, where and when we walk while raising funds to support the ongoing care in the fantastic new in-patient unit.
“The whole family has always supported Dr Kershaw’s because of my involvement and they were all keen to join in with this new challenge.
“We also thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have a joint birthday get together to celebrate my 80th and my granddaughter Chloe’s 18th.”
Margaret is raring to go despite having a knee replacement last October and her group plans to walk 5km locally, with Hollingworth Lake at the top of their list of walking locations.
Charlotte, 21, said: “I am so pleased to be doing the Virtual Hospice Walk to raise money for Dr Kershaw’s.
“We love walking, especially together as a family, and what makes it better is that we can do something we enjoy while raising money for such an amazing charity!
“Dr Kershaw’s helped my grandma so much when she lost my grandad three years ago and it’s just a small gesture that we can do this walk to raise funds to support the hospice.”
With the pandemic putting a stop to fundraisers for more than a year and some restrictions still in place, the Virtual Hospice Walk has been organised instead of their annual Hospice to Hospice Walk.
Registration is £8 per person, with walkers receiving a fundraising pack including a sponsor form, a t-shirt, temporary tattoo, bespoke walker number and a post walk virtual medal.
If you registered for the 2020 Hospice to Hospice Walk and transferred your registration fee to 2021, your entry to Dr Kershaw’s ‘Virtual Hospice Walk’ is free of charge. Please select the appropriate option on the online registration form.
For more information or to sign up please visit www.drkh.org.uk/hospice-walk or call 0161 624 9984.
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice provides free, specialist, end-of-life and palliative care for adults with life-limiting illnesses in Oldham and its surrounding areas in a peaceful and homely environment.
Its new state-of-the-art In-Patient Unit (IPU) opened in February 2021, providing expanded, modernised patient facilities.
To find out more about Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, visit www.drkh.org.uk or call
0161 624 2727.