Walk for Life raises money for Forever Friends appeal

The popular local fund-raising event the Walk of Life takes place next Saturday, 16th May.

The annual event, organised by The Forever Friends Appeal, challenges people to walk nine, 12 or 21 miles along the Kennet and Avon canal between Devizes and Bath.

Walkers can choose for their fundraising to go towards the RUH Cancer Care Campaign, or another ward or department of their choice in the hospital.

The Appeal’s events & community officer Emily Lynch said, “For six years this hugely popular event has been finishing just off of the canal in Bath’s Sydney Gardens. The Appeal always hires Sydney Gardens from B&NES Council and so we were disappointed to receive a phone call from B&NES a month ago to be told that due to sudden Network Rail Works taking place in Sydney Gardens, the Appeal would not be able to use the gardens for the walk’s usual finishing point.

“The Appeal’s Events Team were thrilled when the team at The Holburne Museum came forward to kindly offer their beautiful front lawns as an alternative finishing venue for the Walk. Over 180 people have already signed up to take part in this year’s event, some to celebrate the memory of lost loved ones, others to fundraise in support of friends or family members who are being treated at the RUH.

“We are so grateful to everyone at The Holburne Museum; their support means that the event will go ahead smoothly with no disruptions, which will mean so much to so many local people.”

This is the eighth annual Walk of Life event, which was created in 2008 in memory of Vanessa Kyte – a remarkably inspirational mum, daughter, sister, wife and friend who passed away from cancer in 2007.

Vanessa’s sister Nicola Noble will once again lead this year’s walk from Devizes and will be joined by her grandchildren in Bradford on Avon who will walk with her to Bath in thanks of the support that was given to her sister throughout her treatment by RUH staff.

Jennifer Scott, director of the Holburne said, “We’re delighted to help this wonderful event. Hopefully the Holburne’s stunning position at the top of Great Pulteney Street will inspire walkers to cross the finish line in style.”

One in two people will be affected by cancer and everyday lives are changed by this disease.  The Forever Friends Appeal’s RUH Cancer Care Campaign is raising £8.5million towards the building of a pioneering new Cancer Centre.  This Cancer Centre will be a state of the art building, which will transform care for patients and their families at the RUH.  Walkers can choose for their fundraising to go towards the RUH Cancer Care Campaign, or another ward or department of their choice in the hospital.

Last year over 320 people took part in the walk. This year many walkers are taking on the full 21 mile challenge, whilst others are choosing to walk 12 miles in the morning or nine miles in the afternoon.  The Walk sets off from Devizes Wharf, heads along the Kennet and Avon canal through Bradford-On-Avon and for this year only, will finish just off the canal on the front lawns of the Holburne Museum.

Whether you are taking part in the event on your own, or if you sign up to the join the Corporate Challenge with your colleagues, entrants can take part in any section of the Walk of Life (nine, 12 or 21 miles) and registration costs £20.00 per person to enter.

Businesses are being invited to enter teams of colleagues, clients and suppliers in this unique team building event, and there is no limit to the number of entrants in each team.

To sign up for the 2015 Walk of Life, proudly sponsored by Kier Construction, visit www.foreverFriendsappeal.co.uk