This in from the Hospice, in their own words. Ed
Gurnard resident Carol Walker, took up the challenge with three other friends to cycle the 1,068 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats during the summer to help raise funds for three charities, including the Hospice, raising a grand total of £1,462.53.
Huge support en-route
The friends battled some torrential rain during their trip, which took just over two weeks to complete, but were amazed at the support they received on route, not just from their friends but from complete strangers who stopped to cheer them on and to donate funds.
The Hospice will be using its share of the funds (£487.51) to help pay for a service it provides to patients, family members and carers called Look Good, Feel Better. The service helps people to come to terms with the visible and psychological side of effects of cancer and other life limiting illnesses through beauty and relaxation treatments helping in doing so to promote a sense of wellbeing.
A considerable challenge
Carol, who cycles purely for pleasure and who had previously only undertaken shorter challenges like the Island’s popular Randonnee event, said that she had always wanted to take on a challenge of these proportions and recognised the opportunity of also turning it into a fundraising event at the same time.
Carol said,
“It was a considerable challenge but so many of my friends over the years have had reason to use the services of the Hospice and it is such a wonderful place, doing so much to help people that I really wanted to find a way of supporting the work that it does.
“In much of my working life I’ve focused on people’s wellbeing and development, so it seems fitting too that the funds I’ve been able to raise should go towards a service that also helps people to find a sense of wellbeing at a difficult time in their lives. I would like to add a big thank you too to all of those people who sponsored me and helped me to raise these funds.”
