In October we will be taking part in a week long charity trek of The Great Wall of China. We are asking for your support to raise money for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd at Backford, Chester. As a family we want to both support and repay some of the kindness, care and dedication we have received. We particularly want to remember the care that was give to Robin Greenway and also will not forget what they did for Hazel Willis.

The Challenge

Our trek will see us tackle parts of The Great Wall that will take us over watch towers and mountains, through historic battlement stations that are well off the tourist trail and much more. This challenge will involve us walking (and climbing!) for 8-9 hours a day. The trekking will be hard, due to the number of steps we trek up and down each day – it can sometimes take an hour just to trek 1km! We will also be conquering the 1,000 steps up to the wall at Mutianyu – culminating with the ascent of the ‘Heavenly Ladder’. 

Lastly, we will be lending a hand repairing a section of the Wall that is currently being reconstructed. We will each place our brick in this newly restored section, ensuring our own place in the Great Wall of China!  

The Hospice of The Good Shepherd

The Hospice provides services free of charge to patients and families facing life limiting illnesses. They provide an in-patient unit, out-patient services, a day therapy centre and offer complimentary therapies and bereavement support throughout the community. The Hospice has a dedicated team of staff and healthcare professionals that are on hand to provide patients and families with an unrivaled level of practical, emotional and social support.

This is a cause that is close to all of us and we have experienced first hand the amazing work that the hospice does day in day out. To truly understand the impact and support provided by the Hospice, you sadly have to experience it and before you do, like us, you are probably unaware of the many financial issues that it faces. Some key facts that have influenced our decision to help are:

* The Hospice is only 20% funded by the taxpayer via the NHS

* The Hospice has to raise £4 million a year through fundraising

* It costs £4100 to run one in patient bed for a week

It was a big surprise and disappointment to us that despite a waiting list, some of the beds were unoccupied due to lack of funding. This is what is behind our huge motivation to try and do something to help in order for more patients and families to have the support we have had.

The services provided by the Hospice can be seen at their website:

https://hospiceofthegoodshepherd.com/

We hope that you will join us in recognising the need to support the wonderful staff at the Hospice and the serene, calming, supporting environment that they create. And above all, we would like to say Thank You to them for what they have done for us.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Pete, Kate, Lucie, Charlotte & Soph

X

Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.