Springhill Hospice Midnight Walk

Middleton Festival played host to the inaugural ‘Springhill Hospice Midnight Walk’, a sponsored half-marathon walk for ladies. Nearly 200 women braved the miserable conditions and congregated on the muddy field to be started on their way by Hospice Chief Executive, Christine Webb, and Chairman, Margaret Geoghegan MBE, on the stroke of midnight.

Ian Jenkins, Springhill Hospice Fundraising Manager, said: “We were delighted that so many participants turned up as the weather in the build-up to the event – and on the night – was pretty dire. But turn up they did and the atmosphere was fabulous.”

Wearing their specially designed event t-shirts beneath their waterproof ponchos, glowsticks held aloft and spirits even higher, the walkers hit the 13.1 mile route with gusto. Off through Rhodes, Bowlee, Birch, Hopwood and into Heywood they walked, for a halfway stop at Springfield Park and the chance to rest awhile if needed. From there the walkers continued their route through Sudden, Castleton, Slattocks and back to Middleton where the first walkers returned at 3:10am.

The route was fully marshaled – mostly by walker’s other halves! - with regular stops for toilet and water facilities. With back-up from a Police vehicle and St John’s Ambulance, along with a mini-bus and a ‘tail-end Charlie’, the ladies were never far from help if needed.

Mr Jenkins went on to say: “The feedback we received from participants at the end of their walk was very positive and at no time did they feel at risk despite being out in the middle of the night. This aspect of feeling secure sustained the party atmosphere all the way round and by the time the last walkers returned at just before 5:00am one or two had enjoyed it so much that they were ready to go out and do it all again!

“Having totted up the pledges from those who participated, we are expecting to raise over £20,000 and, as you can imagine, we are delighted with this response. I would like to thank everybody who took part in a wonderful event and made it so special.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the event support staff, especially the marshals for giving up their Saturday night/Sunday morning so willingly and for giving the girls encouragement as they passed; to Middleton Round Table for helping plan this event, for including us in their Festival programme and granting us the use of their facilities; the Police and St John’s Ambulance, Chadderton for providing our walkers with a safe environment to walk in; to Fitness First, Rochdale, for their support, especially Rich Ainley and Gillian; to Face 2 Face Estate Agents for their sponsorship; to Worldwide Cash and Carry and Subway for their assistance in supplying refreshments and, finally, a huge thank you from everybody at Springhill Hospice – especially our patients and their families - to everybody who has sponsored the walkers. Your contribution will really make a difference.”