Students devise sunset spectacular to support county hospice

Students from the University of Northampton have devised a brand new fundraising event for a leading local charity.

The four Event Management undergraduates have organised a night-time walk to help raise much-needed funds for Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

The Sunset Stride will see walkers tackle a seven-mile trail around Pitsford Water reservoir at Brixworth Country Park as the sun sets on Saturday 21 April.

The event been organised by course-mates Cattrina Milne, Pip Hall, Jitka Podzemska and Maki Svantnerova as their final year project.

Cattrina said: “We visited Cynthia Spencer Hospice and we were incredibly moved to see the support it offers patients and their families.

“The hospice relies on donations and fundraising to provide the very best service for people in Northamptonshire, and so we were determined to come up with an event which it doesn’t already hold, to try and increase the amount of money it could potentially bring in.

“We are hoping as many people as possible can show their support for Cynthia Spencer, by signing up for the Sunset Walk.”

John Helm, fundraising manager at Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with the University students this year to create The Sunset Stride, which is a brand new event for Northamptonshire. We’ve challenged the group to raise more than £4,000 to help support the work the hospice does in caring for life-limited patients and their families.

“We love the idea that they have come up with, walking around Pitsford Reservoir during sunset should be spectacular and a wonderful occasion for participants to not only challenge themselves by walking the route, but also to remember lost loved ones by carrying a lantern in their memory. We are encouraging local people to not only attend, but to raise their own sponsorship money to support the Hospice.”

The event, which takes place from 6pm top midnight, is open to adults, children and dogs on leads, with walkers encouraged to light up a lantern in memory of loved ones, creating a beautiful symbolic display as the sun sets over the reservoir.

Walkers are also invited to dress in carnival outfits, with face painting also available prior to the walk.

To volunteer for the event, find out more or to purchase entry tickets, visit the hospice website or the Facebook event page.