Lancaster hospice's Moonlight Walk weekend celebrated despite pandemic

June is the traditionally the month of the St John’s Hospice's Moonlight Walk, where thousands of girls and women come together to celebrate the lives of people they have loved and lost and the work of the hospice.
By Gayle Rouncivell
Published 23rd Jun 2020, 15:45 GMT
Catherine and friends.Catherine and friends.
Catherine and friends.

This June it couldn’t take place due to coronavirus, yet that didn’t mean the community forgot this special weekend.

Supporters from across the area came up with different ideas to pay tribute to the work of the hospice.

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Brave Amy Howard decided to shave her lovely locks in memory of her Auntie Meryl, who passed away on May 27. Amy has raised more than £1,200 and hopes that this amount will rise with the support of the community.

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Amy before the head shave.Amy before the head shave.
Amy before the head shave.

Amy said: “Auntie Meryl was a truly amazing woman. She always had a smile on her face, she was the life and soul of any party, and she was always the first one on the dance floor and one of the last to leave. She was an amazing wife to Norman and a wonderful mum to Michael and Kerry.

“She spent 50 years caring for others as a nurse and then as a volunteer for a homeless charity. She was the best auntie anyone could ask for and our family is never going to be the same again.

“St John’s Hospice played a massive part in my auntie’s life towards the end, so I want to raise some money in her memory so they can carry on with the amazing work they do.

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“People that know me will know that there’s not much I like about myself, but I do like my hair! Shaving it off is the biggest thing I can give up and hopefully raise some money for this wonderful cause.

Amy after the head shave.Amy after the head shave.
Amy after the head shave.

"I would love everyone that is reading this to donate a small amount if possible. I appreciate that these are difficult times but I’m just hoping to raise as much as I can for this amazing charity.

“This is for you Auntie Mery! Love you always.”

Karen Loynd is a firm fan of the Moonlight Walk, having taken part many times. This year together with her daughters Holly and Eva they had the great idea to do the Moonlight walk where they lived

Karen said: “We did the maths, and worked out that we will have to do 45 laps of our road in order to complete the 14 km that we would have walked with the hundreds of other ladies. We completed our own walk on the Saturday of the planned walk, starting at 9pm just like it would have from the hospice.

Auntie Meryl (left) and Amy (right).Auntie Meryl (left) and Amy (right).
Auntie Meryl (left) and Amy (right).
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"We have raised £900 so far and whatever amount you can donate will go to this amazing charity.”

Meanwhile, Catherine Butterworth and friends donned their T-shirts from last year’s walk and arranged their own socially distanced 14km walk.

That weekend, two St John’s fundraisers strode out wearing tutus to complete their own walk while St John’s volunteer Millie Morch also completed her Moonlight Walk in Kirby Lonsdale.

Between them they raised more than £820!

To support Amy’s fundraising cause for St John’s go online hereTo support Karen, Holly and Eva go online here

Related topics:St John's HospiceSupporters