Community Raises £30,000 for Sue Ryder Following Cancelled Hike

Individuals supporting a charity that delivers end-of-life care have collectively raised approximately £30,000. This amount was generated through participation in hikes and walks conducted in remembrance of their loved ones. Sue Ryder was compelled to cancel its Starlight Hike Peterborough event last month due to inclement weather. Despite this unforeseen obstacle, the charity reported that 88 people from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough proceeded to undertake their own 5km (3.1 mile) and 10km (6.2 mile) hikes. Cheyenne Smith, the community fundraising manager at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, characterized the fundraising achievement as “heart-warming.” She further commented, “The vital funds raised will significantly help bridge the funding gap we faced, particularly at a time when costs are rising, and more people are expected to need our care.” The Peterborough event, initially projected to attract 500 walkers to Ferry Meadows on 5 October, was ultimately cancelled subsequent to heavy rain and flooding. Lucy Cowlishaw, 42, from Stamford, had planned to participate in the hike with 20 family members and friends to commemorate the life of her mother, Sue Cowlishaw, who had been cared for at the Peterborough hospice. She recounted that her group instead honored her mother by raising a “few glasses” at her parents’ “old local pub,” while dressed as “dancing queens” in tribute to her mother’s affection for Abba. Two weeks later, some members of the group embarked on their own 10km walk. Ms Cowlishaw remarked, “It was a beautiful and fitting day to remember my beautiful and brave mum and share stories of her while thanking those who had kindly donated to such a worthwhile cause.” The 2025 Sue Ryder Starlight Hike Peterborough is scheduled to be held on 4 October at Ferry Meadows. Updates regarding Peterborough news can be accessed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites. Details concerning its approach to external linking are provided.