Story
Walking for Bill – In Loving Memory and Support of East Lancashire Hospice
This summer, our family and friends are coming together for a very special walk in memory of Bill Fleck, who passed away after a courageous journey with metastatic prostate cancer.
To honour Bill’s final wish—to have half of his ashes returned to his birthplace of Larne, Northern Ireland—we’re undertaking a sponsored walk starting on Monday 4th August which will take 5 days, from his home in Darwen to Larne. Our route will take us along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the Mersey, across to Birkenhead, onto the ferry to Belfast, and finally along the coast to Larne—carrying Bill with us every step of the way.
This walk is not just a tribute to Bill—it’s a celebration of love, of memories, and of the kindness that defined him.
Please consider donating and sharing our story. Your support means the world to us. Together, we can help others and keep Bill’s legacy alive.
Route Breakdown:
Day 1 - Darwen to Standish
Day 2 - Standish to Aintree
Day 3 - Aintree to Birkenhead
--- FERRY ---
Day 4 - Belfast to Carrickfergus
Day 5 - Carrickfergus to Larne
(Approx total Walking Distance = 135km / 84miles)
Full Route -
Why we need your help
In Bill’s final months, he was cared for with love, dignity, and compassion by the incredible team at East Lancashire Hospice. The care he received meant everything—not just to Bill, but to all of us. One of the hospice’s most beautiful gifts was helping Bill witness one final, joyful milestone: his son Billy’s wedding. Although the big day was planned for June 2025, the hospice team helped us bring the legal ceremony forward and created the most emotional, intimate celebration within their walls. That moment will stay with us forever.
We're walking to remember Bill and to give back to the hospice that gave us so much. It costs around £8,000 a day to run East Lancashire Hospice, and every pound we raise towards this target will help ensure other families receive the same extraordinary care that we did.
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We can't wait to walk together and make this journey one to remember, just as Bill would have wanted!
Your support means the world to us all.
