Ready, set, glow! Hundreds light up Harrogate for Saint Michael's Hospice fundraiser
‘Even though we were in lockdown, the carers from Saint Michael’s still came every day to support us’
A crisp, cold night and a sky full of stars provided the backdrop as hundreds of people lit up the streets of Harrogate for Saint Michael’s Hospice’s Moonlight Glow Walk on Saturday (October 17).
Among those taking part was Kym Marshall, who was walking to give something back to the hospice that had supported her family when her husband Richard was receiving care for oesophageal cancer.
Richard died a few years ago, and Kym said Saint Michael’s Hospice carers had visited the family every day during the Covid lockdown.
“Even though we were in lockdown, the carers from Saint Michael’s still came every day to support us,” she said before the walk.
Kym was taking part for the first time, alongside her daughter Emily and friends from Harrogate Bee Social.
Christine Johnson, from Harrogate, was also taking part after losing one of her best friends just three weeks earlier.
“I’m so excited because I love walking and one of my best friends actually passed away here three weeks ago, so it’s all good to support the charity and raise money,” she said before setting off.
More than 400 people took part in the fundraising event, which supported the hospice’s care for people affected by terminal illness and their families.
Walkers gathered at St John Fisher Catholic High School, where a lively warm-up with Clubbercise with Gilly helped get everyone ready for the evening.
Participants could choose between 5km and 10km routes, with the event offering a new shorter distance alongside the established 10km challenge.
Previously known as the Midnight Glow Walk, the event returned with an earlier start time, encouraging people to wear bright clothing and neon accessories to light up the night.
Tatiana Davey, marketing, communications and fundraising manager at Saint Michael’s Hospice, said before the event that the walk was the charity’s most vibrant fundraiser of the year.
“We are welcoming Harrogate to light up the night with us and dress in your boldest neon gear and support hospice care,” she said.
“It’s a great night if you can brace the cold and join us. It’s a really vital cause.”
She said the hospice held a range of fundraising events throughout the year, including its Light up a Life service in the run-up to Christmas.
She said: “There are a few different ceremonies we have got across Harrogate that are all fantastic fundraisers for the hospice, but this is probably our most vibrant fundraiser of the year. It’s lovely.”
As an independent charity, Saint Michael’s relied on public donations to fund its specialist care and practical and emotional support for patients and their families.
People who were unable to attend could support the hospice by donating through its Moonlight Glow Walk JustGiving page.
To find out more about the hospice’s fundraising events, visit saintmichaelshospice.org.