Farleigh Hospice 'Walk for Life' returns to Heybridge
Farleigh's sponsored walk will return this Spring with walkers of all ages invited to wonder through the beautiful Essex countryside to raise money for the Hospice.
On Sunday 11 May, hundreds will follow the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation towpath. There are two routes to choose from: the 12km ramble begins at Paper Mill Lock, Little Baddow and the more demanding 24km route starts at Heybridge Basin. Both finish at the Teledyne e2v offices in Waterhouse Lane, Chelmsford.
The Walk for Life hopes to raise funds for Farleigh Hospice, a charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care to adults with a life-limiting illness and their families and carers across mid Essex. It also offers information and support to bereaved children and adults.
The Collingwood family are fundraising for Farleigh. Mum, Flick, will be walking the 12km route with her oldest daughter, Lilly, aged 10, in memory of her father-in-law Gordon, or 'Gandad' as he is affectionately called by the family. Her younger daughter, Cadi, aged 5, will be joining them near the end for the last kilometre.
Gordon's health rapidly declined after he was diagnosed with brain, bone and lung cancer in July 2024. He needed care from Farleigh from February 2025 until he sadly died in the hospice's Inpatient Unit, surrounded by his family, on Sunday March 16.
Flick said, "As a family, we cannot imagine what we would have done without the incredible care, respect and dignity that every nurse and volunteer gave Gandad during his sadly short stay with Farleigh. The level of care went way above and beyond what could be expected for him, and for us as a family visiting as well. The incredible nurses even brought in a West Ham coloured blanket to make Gandad feel more at home.
"Signing up for Walk for Life and collecting sponsorship for Farleigh is such a simple and easy thing to do but the difference that can be made to those patients in the hospice's care is huge."
The family have set themselves a fundraising target of £500 which they have already exceeded.
Flick added, "The thought of Farleigh not existing at a family's worst moment is unimaginable. We would ask everyone to support Farleigh as you simply never know when you may need their support and it takes each and every one of us to keep this charity funded and operational."
It costs £20 for adults and £5 for under 16s to sign up for Walk for Life before 4pm on 7 May. Walkers can pay on the day at Heybridge Basin or Paper Mill Lock, but higher prices will apply. For more information and to sign up now, visit www.farleighhospice.org/walk .
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