Dozens of walkers ready to don boots for Cancer Centre appeal
More than 60 enthusiastic walkers have already signed up to a fun hospital-to-hospital fundraising walk to raise vital cash to equip a new cancer and haematology centre in Shrewsbury – just three weeks after the event was launched.
The 14.6-mile walk from the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 24 May to raise cash for the new Lingen Davies Centre.
Organiser Nick Holding, an improvement manager with The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said he was overwhelmed with the interest already in the walk.
The Great Walk to Work event is open to all, not just Trust staff, and it is hoped more than 100 people will take part with keen walkers urged to sign up as soon as possible.
The event will raise money for the Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund which has already raised £3.2million towards the £4.8 million cost of building the state-of-the-art facility at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Funds were also raised by the Shropshire Blood Trust Fund, League of Friends and other charities.
Now a fresh campaign has been launched to generate a further £350,000 for vital equipment and furnishings for the building. Proceeds from the walk between the two hospital sites will go towards that target.
The fundraiser is expected to start at 9.30am and will see walkers travelling through Wellington, along the old A5, through Meole Brace before arriving at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at about 3pm.
Mr Holding said he hoped about £5,000 could be raised from the event, which has already received a wealth of support from local businesses.
“We have 63 people already signed up for the walk, which is fantastic. We’ve reached this in about three weeks, since I launched it on Facebook,” said Mr Holding.
“It’s about raising money for the cause and raising awareness of the appeal as well. I think a lot of people don’t realise we’ve built the building and Lingen Davies have raised £3.2 million, but more needs to be raised to fit-out and equip the building.”
Louise Cliffe, Acting Fundraising Manager at the Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund, said: "I would like to thank Nick and his team for organising this event to raise funds for our Appeal, we are very grateful to them for their support and we wish them all the best on the day.
“The funds they raise will go towards buying furniture and equipment for the new Cancer and Haematology Centre being built at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and is due to be opened in the Autumn this year."
For more information, or to make donations, contact Mr Holding via the Trust’s Improvement Team. He can be reached at the Princess Royal Hospital by calling 01952 641222 (ext 4272) or at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on 01743 261000 (ext 2415).
People can also email nick.holding@sath.nhs.uk or visit www.facebook.com/events/373776912632436
To donate, visit www.justgiving.co.uk/walkforlingendavies
