Congratulations to our 2023 Royal Parks Half Marathon Team. They have raised an incredible £6173 in total.
We were so pleased to have such a fantastic team of runners in the Royal Parks Half Marathon 2023. Their dedication and determination, throughout their training and fundraising leading up to the event on Sunday 8th October 2023 and during the run itself, was lovely to see!
We had 14 incredibly fundraisers, out of which nice ran the race on a very warm October. With two corporate teams, from Bishops Wood Hospital and Brita, as well as several individual runners, they have raised an amazing £6128 in total. Their commitment means that everyone living in our community with a serious or terminal illness can receive the support they need, with care shaped around each individual and those close to them.
Berangere, one of our Team Harlington Hospice runners and Executive Assistant at Bishops Wood Hospital commented on her teams involvement, “The staff at Bishops Wood Hospital were keen to support a charity within the community. They chose Michael Sobell House as their charity of the year as it is close to their hearts. At our own cancer centre, we see the effect the illness has on our patients and their families. Unfortunately, some patients are not able to fight the disease, even with treatment. Michael Sobell House has been a sanctuary to several of our patients, making their last days as comfortable and as dignified as possible.”
Another of our runners shared about their relationship to hospice care and the motivation behind joining Team Harlington Hospice, “My first experience with hospices was when I was very young – maybe about 6 years old. My Grandad Jim had entered hospice care and being so young I thought that my Grannie was just mispronouncing the word ‘hospital’ when she told me. I do remember walking into the hospice and getting the feeling that it was very different from a regular hospital. It was only as I got older that I became more aware of the amazing work hospices do, helping bring some light into what otherwise can be a very dark time in people’s lives.”
We’d also like to thank our ‘spectathletes’, the wonderful cheer point volunteers who kept the momentum going and kept our runners motivated on the hot and sunny day.
Two of our fabulous cheer point volunteers explained to our Fundraising Team why they decided to join us on the day:
“I volunteered as it’s a charity close to my heart, having had my mum pass with cancer when she was only 50. My experience of a hospice was fantastic not only did they care for my mum but they also offered a lot of family support. It was a great day and an opportunity to meet new people and have fun.”
“I wanted to help Harlington Hospice at their cheer point as I know how much the hospice means to people at such a challenging time, and I know their runners would be putting their heart and soul into every step, powered by their personal experiences with the charity. I honestly had so much fun trying to spot and cheer all the runners! It was a great way to support the hospice as I’m not able to commit to regular volunteering at the moment. Well done everyone who took on the half marathon!”
