Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am going to be running the length of Wales over 7 days, the equivalent of running 7 hilly trail marathons back to back. A distance of 180 miles with a climb of 28,000 ft (Everest is 29,000 ft)

I have decided to attempt such a daunting challenge in the hope that it will encourage people to help support this incredible charity.

My sister, Anna, and I were embraced and supported by St Wilfrid’s Hospice recently when they enabled Anna to live at home with me as she approached the end of her life. Compassionate community support meant her final months were focused on living with dignity, positivity, and love, surrounded by her family and friends. The difference that St Wilfrid’s made to us all is indescribable and as a volunteer on the ward I see how the warmth and professionalism of all the staff and volunteers helps create a sense of peace, times of joy, and a strong community within tranquil, beautiful surroundings. It is a special and important place.

Before last year I had no real knowledge of the impact of hospice care for individuals and their families and certainly no understanding that hospices have to find the vast majority of their considerable running costs through charitable donations. St Wilfrid’s Hospice costs £26,000 every single day to run, with only a tiny proportion of that funded through grants, all the rest is down to charitable support.

Finding the money to run St Wilfrid’s every day is an enormous challenge. Supporting individuals and their families with compassion and professionalism 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is a challenge that is more than met. Running a marathon every day for 7 days is my (personally huge!) challenge.

Please help me contribute to the work of St Wilfrid’s by sponsoring my run. I will be setting off from Chepstow on Sunday 5th May and running north until I reach Prestatyn on the north Wales coast on Saturday 11th May. My route follows much of the Offa’s Dyke national trail. I will be running alone, except for the first day with my lovely husband, so mental resilience is going to be at least as important as physical fitness. I have been training, and eating, a lot! I believe I can do it, but the motivation provided by the opportunity to raise money for St Wilfrid’s is going to be the most important factor in helping me to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Thank you!

Caroline

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