Emma shares this last reminder before Sunday’s 2016 Walk the Wight event. Ed
Over 7,000 men, women, children and dogs have so far registered to take part in this weekend’s (Sunday 15 May 2016) Walk the Wight 2016 in aid of Earl Mountbatten Hospice – the largest charity event of its kind in Europe. Five llamas and two alpacas will also join the walk, which aims to raise £300,000 to support future patient and family care both at the Newport hospice and in people’s homes across the Isle of Wight.
Walkers will join a number of routes on the day: the full walk from Bembridge to the Needles Landmark Attraction (26.5 miles), the first half from Bembridge to Carisbrooke (12.5 miles), the second half from Carisbrooke to the Needles Landmark Attraction (14 miles) and the flat walk from Sandown Bay Academy to Shide (eight miles).
Not too late to register
Any last minute walkers who have yet to take up the challenge can now register to join the event on the day.
You can register at each start point on the day for a suggested minimum donation of £20 for an individual or £10 per adult/£5 per child for groups of three or more.
Schools Walk the Wight
2016 also sees the tenth birthday of Schools Walk the Wight. Over 30 primary schools have taken part in the initiative; the aim is to walk the same distance as one Walk the Wight by clocking up their miles during everyday activities.
On the day of Walk the Wight (15 May), children and parents can choose to take part in the four-mile Schools Walk to complete their miles. Those taking part are being encouraged to wear party clothes with sensible footwear and each pre-registered child will receive a party bag for their efforts.
Truly humbled by Islanders’ support
Earl Mountbatten Hospice CEO Nigel Hartley is among those taking on the full walk from Bembridge to the Needles. He said:
“Last year was my first experience of Walk the Wight and I was truly humbled to see so many Islanders get involved to support our patients and families receiving care, both at the Hospice and across the wider community. We are also very fortunate to have the support of our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible.
“I shall be walking on Sunday with a friend whose father died at the hospice, and I know that many others will also be remembering loved ones who are no longer with us. Their continued support will mean that we can continue to provide the highest quality care possible for people with a whole range of life-limiting conditions. Good luck and thank you to everyone who takes part, including our 300 volunteers and event staff.”
Share your social media
We want to follow walkers and supporters every step of the way on this year’s Walk the Wight. Using a live blog on our Websites we want to capture a whole range of Tweets, Facebook posts, photos and videos.
We’d love to feature photos and updates from across the day and include them on our blog, so we can celebrate the magnificent contributions to supporting the future of patient and family care.
You can follow us on Twitter @EarlMBHospice and Facebook /EarlMountbattenHospice
We’d be grateful if participants could use #WTW16, so we can be sure to capture all the updates from the day!
Find out more by visiting the Walk the Wight Website.
Image: James Blunt under CC BY 2.0
