PR: Go the distance for St Luke’s while staying close to home
Much-loved local charity St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is sending out a rallying call to the community to take on the challenge of quite literally going the extra mile to support its vital service while staying safe, close to home.
The compassionate care and support St Luke’s provides for terminally ill people across Plymouth and surrounding areas is given at no cost to them or their families, but it does not come cheap to the charity. The extra pressure of looking after more people throughout the pandemic – coupled with a decline income due to cancelled mass participation fundraising events and the temporary closure of its shops – means community support is needed now, more than ever, to keep its vital service running.
The charity, whose team gives not just hands-on medical care to patients but also the crucial emotional support and practical advice they and their families need at the most vulnerable of times, is inviting people to sign up for its Landmark Challenge this month to raise much-needed funds.
The challenge is flexible, giving everyone who registers the opportunity to walk, run or cycle the distance to a well-known landmark – either a special one of their own choosing or Yelverton Rock (9 miles), Tintagel Castle (39 miles), Land’s End (85 miles), Stonehenge (131 miles) or Big Ben (213 miles). (Mileage is approximate from Plymouth city centre.)
Though they may not be able to get to their chosen landmark in person due to the national Covid-19 safety restrictions in place, participants can use their choice of GPS tracking app and clock up the miles virtually, either outside within their local area or even at home.
Speaking about the Landmark Challenge, Penny Hannah, Head of Fundraising at St Luke’s, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our local community to take on a physical challenge to suit any ability, particularly at a time when many people want to be more active during lockdown because they recognise how beneficial it can be to body and mind.
“Other people may choose to get involved because they want to raise awareness of the vital service St Luke’s provides to so many families or because they want to celebrate the life of a lost loved one by taking part in memory of them.
“Whatever their motivation, what matters is that they’re not going for just a walk or run. The sponsorship they raise with every step will make an important difference, ensuring more local people with terminal illness get the high-quality care they need – and deserve – at the end of their lives.”
Sign up for the Landmark Challenge by 31 March 2021 at here – you’ll have five weeks from your sign-up date to complete the challenge and all participants will receive a medal to celebrate your achievement.
