More than 300 glowing neon walkers glided around Letchworth on Saturday night as part of Garden House Hospice Care’s eighth annual Starlight Walk.
The walkers – who are working towards a £50,000 fundraising target – paid £15 each to complete either a six-mile or 10-mile route, starting and finishing at North Herts Leisure Centre.
And staff at the Letchworth-based hospice have called the community’s support ‘phenomenal’, citing not only the walkers themselves but also the staff, volunteers and marshals who came together to make the event possible.
Cathy White, events manager at the hospice in Gillison Close, said: “Starlight is such a special event.
“It’s not just a walk, it also gives participants time to reflect.
“We like to give a minute’s silence at the start of the walk to remember those who have passed.
“We would like to ask our fabulous walkers and sponsors to dig deep, and help us reach our target.”
Rosie Burlingham, who was taking part in her first Starlight Walk, said: “My daughter Laura and I were walking in memory of my father-in-law – who was looked after so well at the Garden House Hospice almost 21 years ago – and also a close friend who sadly passed away 21 months ago.
“This was my first Starlight Walk. You couldn’t really get lost following a glowing, flashing snake of walkers around the streets of Letchworth, encouraged at every turn by the fantastic marshals.
“It really was great fun and the general public really got behind us too, calling out and honking their car horns in support. The tea and refreshments at the end you could say were ‘the icing on the cake’.
“It was a fantastic, well organised event.”
The hospice – which serves communities across North Herts and Stevenage – thanked the leisure centre, LV, Sainsbury’s, Chilli Lounge, Lessiters Ltd and other businesses that gave up their time and equipment to help produce the event.
If you’d like to get involved in next year’s walk email cathy.white@ghhospicecare.org.uk or call the fundraising team on 01462 679540.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here