This month a team from the Great North Children's Hospital will be embarking on a fundraising challenge for local charity, The Sick Children's Trust. 

A small team of five social workers, Annette Corley, Julie Eardley, Vicky Gordon, Lynn Lockhart and Liz McElvenny will walk St Cuthbert's Way from Melrose to Lindisfarne in two stages taking place between 23 to 25 May and 5 to 6 July .

St Cuthbert's Way is one on the most varied long-distance walks in Britain and is host to spectacular views. In total the team will covering a challenging 100km each in the hope of raising £500.00 for the charity. 

The Sick Children's Trust provides a 'Home from Home' accommodation as well as emotional and practical support for families who have seriously ill children in hospital. The charity's Crawford House is based at the Great North Children's Hospital and there is also work in progress to build a second 'Home from Home' at the Freeman Hospital. The appeal launched by The Sick Children's Trust and Children's Heart Unit Fund will see a new 18 bedroom house which will accommodate the families of children who are undergoing heart surgery.

We know Gail and the team at Crawford House very well and have always been so impressed with the accommodation they provide for families who are going through extremely stressful times. The house is safe and quiet and I can imagine it really does serve as a retreat for parents and siblings who spend all day on the hospital wards where their child is receiving treatment 

We hope the money we fundraise from taking part in this walk will help to support families  who otherwise would be facing accommodation and travel costs. It really is an invaluable service.

Gail Stoney House Manager of Crawford House said "it is wonderful that the team will be walking St Cuthbert's Way in aid of the Sick Children's Trust. The money they are raising will go towards accommodating families who are  facing the most difficult circumstances and will bring us one step closer to completing our second 'Home from Home' here in Newcastle at the Freeman Hospital. We really appreciate their support and can't wait to here how they get on.

To find out more about the Sick Children's Trust's 'Home from Home' appeal please visit http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/our_houses/'Home_from_Home'_Appeal/index.htm