Women put in the miles to raise thousands for St Nicholas Hospice Care
Putting their best feet forward has seen a group of women who collectively walked hundreds of miles for charity stride their way to almost £20,000 for a local hospice.
Members of Slimming World groups in Littleport, Mildenhall and St Neots wore their pyjamas and flashing bunny ears with pride when they took part in the Girls Night Out moonlight walk, in aid of St Nicholas Hospice Care, on Saturday, September 9.
With the team’s monies now counted the efforts of the Mildenhall Marvels, Mandy’s Lovelies and Sharon’s Superstars have raised £19,386.59 for the charity, which provides care for those across the community who are in the final chapters of their lives.
Jenny Smith, the hospice’s events manager, said: “Thank you to everyone from the Slimming World groups who took part and really helped make a huge difference.
“If it wasn’t for the money raised through Girls Night Out the hospice couldn’t give all the support it does, and if it wasn’t for women like the Mildenhall Marvels, Mandy’s Lovelies and Sharon’s Superstars Girls Night Out wouldn’t have grown into the brilliant event it is.”
For the first time this year the Mildenhall Marvels held a fundraising ball which accounted for £2,260 of their final total of £10,078.19.
The ball, which took place on September 30, was organised by Emma Sadler, who was determined to raise funds for the charity even though she couldn’t take part in the walk.
Emma said: “I couldn’t take part in the walk but I really wanted to do something to raise funds for the hospice and support the rest of the Mildenhall Marvels with their efforts. I was sat at home thinking of ideas and then came up with the ball.
“It was a brilliant event. We had so much support. It was emotional seeing it all come together but I absolutely loved it and I am so pleased we were able to raise so much for the hospice.”
Led by Mildenhall Slimming World consultant Donna Cooper, consultants Mandy Reeve, from St Neots, and Sharon Heaps from Littleport, joined together to create a team of around 150 women.
With special rosettes pinned to their T-shirts the teams joined more than 2,100 women who paced the pavements for the charity with Sharon’s Superstars adding £7,992.13 and Mandy’s Lovelies £1,316.27 to their combined final total.
Girls Night Out is a sponsored walk around Bury St Edmunds with two routes – 11.2 miles and six miles. This year more than 2,100 women walked, with monies from the event expected to total £250,000.
Next year’s Girls Night Out walk, the tenth event of its kind, will take place on Saturday, 8 September 2017.
Pictured above are the Mildenhall Marvels celebrating another great Girls Night Out.