A Heartfelt Walk: Ione and Janet’s Hike for Health Journey
Ione and her wife Janet raised over £1,200 for St Bartholomew’s Hospital by joining Hike for Health, finding hope and community ahead of Ione’s heart surgery.
Local connections
This year, after Covid-19 lockdowns meant mass participation events were cancelled, six friends decided to get creative with their fundraising.
Stephen, Gary, Samuel, Jamie, Duncan and Matt decided that they wanted to do their bit for the East London community. Stephen says, “We felt the NHS are really stretched right now, so if we could add something that could help it would be good.”
They each had their own connections to the Barts Health NHS Trust hospitals: “Some of us have lost people at Whipps Cross and we wanted to give something back. Duncan works for the NHS and Matt’s mother is a nurse at Whipps Cross, so he wanted to be able to support her.” Stephen says:
“We picked a garden exercise as we wanted to do something that followed the lockdown guidelines and that anyone could do.” Stephen says, “We also thought that some of our gardens are so small that it would be a real challenge!”
"NHS staff are amazing for what they do and the local community are here to help."Stephen, fundraiser
London Marathon plans
Jamie had originally planned to run the London Marathon in April 2021 but due to lockdown restrictions, the challenge event was delayed until October. He enjoyed the garden 5km fundraiser as it gave him a chance to turn the situation into something positive and support his local hospitals instead.
Support from friends and family
Their families and friends were extremely supportive, helping the team raise over nearly £1,300.
Stephen thinks this just goes to show how much people rallied behind the NHS. “I would like to say to any NHS staff: you’re amazing for what you do and the local community are here to help.”
