Almost 800 walkers take part in St Wilfrid’s Hospice, Chichester Moonlight Walk

It was a fantastic evening of fun and remembrance, and although a very wet and rainy morning tried to dampen our spirits, we are grateful that the Summer sunshine made an appearance, and our walkers were able to warm up and set off under a clear sky.

All of the participants set off together at 8pm at Chichester College, and all walked together until they split to take on their five or 10-mile walk for their local hospice.

The atmosphere at Chichester College was fantastic once again, with delicious food and drink from Trickett Leisure to keep our walkers fed and energised.

The Encore Vocal Choir performed for the first time this year, who provided a great atmosphere with live music. The walkers had some words of thanks and encouragement from St Wilfrid’s CEO, Lois Howell, and she led the countdown to the start.

Both of the routes took walkers through the beautifully lit Bishops Palace Gardens with a light trail, which was bigger and even more spectacular this year thanks to the brilliant support from Simon at Purple Lighting, as well as a stop at the Guildhall in Priory Park.

The Guildhall was lit by candlelight, and walkers had the opportunity to write a message to a loved one to hang on the Memory Arch, take a moment to reflect on memories of those who they miss, rest for a moment, and listen to the live harpist.

A huge thank you to all of the walkers, volunteers, marshals, supporters, and of course to the event sponsor, Henry Adams. The Moonlight Walk would not be able to run without the vital support of everyone who generously donates their time and efforts.

We are on our way to reaching an amazing milestone of £100,000 fundraised for local hospice care, thanks to our amazing supporters and our local anonymous donor who returned this year and once again pledged to match the first £50,000 of walker fundraising.

Walkers have until July 31 to get their fundraising to the Hospice, so we will have a final total later in the Summer. If you would like to make a donation to our fantastic walkers, you can on our website.

The money raised from the Moonlight Walk means that St Wilfrid’s can continue to provide vital end-of-life care to those who need it within our catchment area across West Sussex. The costs to run the Hospice services now totals over £9million each year, and is raised through fundraisers, charity shoppers, donors, and supporters.

The Moonlight Walk 2025 super early bird tickets are now on sale until Monday, July 15. Visit stwh.co.uk/moonlight to secure your place at a reduced price.

St Wilfrid’s Hospice is much more than a building. They provide tailored end-of-life care both in the community and at the Hospice, supporting patients living with a terminal illness, and their family and friends.

Their vital services are all provided free of charge, thanks to the generous support of fundraisers and donors. Only a small percentage of the costs are currently met by the NHS and they rely on the community to fund the remainder, which totals over £9million each year. You can find out more information at www.stwh.co.uk or by calling 01243 775302.

For more information please contact Marketing and Communications Team on 01243 775302 or email [email protected] St Wilfrid’s Hospice, Walton Lane, Chichester, PO18 8QB