We want to thank everyone who laced up their trainers and came out on Saturday 28 September 2024 to stride with pride for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity!

The energy at Upton Country Park in Poole was absolutely electric. The turnout was beyond amazing as hundreds of people across Dorset went the distance to honour the NHS wards, teams, services and departments that meant the most to them.

From leisurely 3km strolls to brisk 5km jogs to taking on an intense 10km, every step taken and penny raised helped enhance the teams across University Hospitals Dorset.

Everybody’s fundraising efforts will contribute significantly, and we can’t wait to share the total amount raised on our website in the coming weeks.

A huge shoutout to our gold sponsor, Hot Radio, for providing fantastic entertainment and organising a team of Hot Walkers to fundraise for The BEACH Appeal. Our silver sponsor, Care South, also made an invaluable difference by supporting Walk for Wards and joining us with their incredible team.

We’d also like to thank  David Lloyd for warming up participants, and the GoodGym Bournemouth for leading the walkers as they kicked off their routes.

Not forgetting a special thanks to Upton Country Park, First Response Training and Liguori’s Wood Fired Pizza their generous support on the day. And Rapid Relief Team, who provided water for our walkers.

Walk for Wards wouldn’t have been the same without Mr Pops Balloons, Wayne Mandeville and Yaz, Peter, Nathan and all our amazing volunteers.

Despite the unfortunate weather conditions, we were thrilled to do our best to provide a day of family fun to everybody who had signed up. We cannot thank everybody enough for coming down and getting involved.

The dedication and commitment to supporting the Royal Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Hospitals teams is truly inspiring; and we are proud to support them in providing the best care possible.

You can contribute to enhancing healthcare across Dorset by supporting University Hospitals today. There are many ways to get involved, whether a one-time or monthly donation, coming together with friends for a fundraising challenge or organising your own event.

Whatever you are thinking of doing, we are immensely grateful for your support today, tomorrow and always.