A crew of seven trekkers from both the Hobbycraft and Together for Short Lives executive teams joined forces last month and completed a challenging 100-mile trek along The Great North Walk, raising an incredible £40,000.
The money raised will help children’s hospices up and down the country deliver essential care and support to families caring for seriously ill children. Children’s hospices are a lifeline for these families, helping families to create precious memories and make the most of every moment they have together.
The Magnificent Seven, started their trek on Thursday 22nd September in Hessle, and finished in great time on Sunday 25th September in Filey.
During the challenge, the Magnificent Seven Trek Team were sent heart-warming messages of encouragement and good luck from Lily-Mae and her parents Antony and Lisa. The family are supported by Andy’s Children’s Hospice in Hull, one of the 54 children’s hospices in the UK that provide lifeline support for the 99,000 seriously ill children and their families.
Ten-year old Lily-Mae developed a number of complex medical conditions soon after she was born which means she is unable to see, walk or talk – although that does not mean she does not communicate as she particularly loves to laugh and giggle! The family found a lifeline in Andy’s Children’s Hospice when she was six and rely on the hospice for support and respite care. “Andy’s is our support group when life is frustrating and stressful and our comfort when we’re uncertain,” says dad Antony. “They give us the time we need to pick ourselves up, rebuild and carry on.”
Store colleagues and customers across the country also joined in with their own challenges over the trek weekend, helping to raise the £40,000 – smashing the total raised last year when the team completed a similar trek across the Wye Valley.
For over a decade, the Hobbycraft and Together for Short Lives partnership have been helping families caring for a seriously ill child to get all the care and support they need to make the most of their time together. The partnership has raised an incredible £2.5 million during this time thanks to the Hobbycraft dedicated store teams, head office staff and their generous customers.
If you would like to contribute to the Magnificent Seven Trek fundraising, visit their Just Giving Page.
