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Record Number of People Walk the Wight 2006
Sunday 14th
May witnessed community spirit outshining those targets achieved in previous
years for the annual Walk the Wight charity event in aid of the Island’s
Earl Mountbatten Hospice.
This year 5211 people joined the mass expedition across the full length of the Island’s countryside, from Bembridge Airport to Album Bay. Nearly 1,500 signed up in advance for the whole trek, which stretched 26.5 miles from the furthest eastern point of the Island to the most western tip of coastline, with the majority of others choosing to complete either the first or second half of the walk. Initial figures indicate that in excess of 1,000 walkers signed-up on the morning of the event.
In
light of the record turnout it is hoped that the Earl Mountbatten Hospice,
which is the only hospice on the Island to care for 75% of all cancer
patients and several other patients with life-shortening diseases is now
set raise over £190,000 in sponsorship and donations.
The money from this years’ event is to go towards opening the two
final rooms on the new ward at the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. The centre
costs approximately £7,000 a day to run with £2,500 originating
from central government and the being rest generated through fundraising
from events like Walk the Wight.
Support came from far and wide
Open not only to Island residents but to anyone with the endurance to
volunteer; Walk the Wight succeeded in attracting a large number of visitors
from across the Solent to subscribe to the event. Walkers travelled from
various locations throughout the UK, Europe and some as far a-field as
Canada to be a part of the Island’s largest sponsored walk to date.
Having already accumulated a total of 22 miles during events on their school playing fields, 661 school children completed the last 4 miles of the walk from Freshwater Bay to Album Bay; and with a chilly mist sweeping across Tennyson Down meaning that the end quite literally never seemed to be in sight, this was easily labelled as the most challenging section by the majority of those involved!
In addition to a range of dogs making the journey alongside their owners,
2 lamas took part in Walk the Wight as well as a violinist and a group
of exceptionally courageous persons sporting fancy dress costumes whilst
walking on stilts!
A massive community achievement
Thankfully contrary to former weather predictions, not a drop of rain fell on the thousands of well-prepared walkers making their determined excursion across a terrain of fields and footways, hills and inclines. On several occasions throughout the day the sun did manage to break through the clouds and coupled with an uninterrupted breeze, a large number of participants were left red-faced as their quest to support cancer sufferers from across the Island drew to a close.
The
walk was organised by volunteers on the Walk the Wight Committee, led
by the hospice fundraising team and supported by many organisations, including
Moreys, the IW County Press, IW Radio, HF Holidays, GlaxoSmithKline, Southern
Water and Toolbank, which provided refreshments.
As walkers crossed the finishing line at Album Bay the Island’s
MP Andrew Turner and Isle of Wight Radio’s David ‘Doc’
Holmes presented them with gold medals before they staggered off to claim
their free and very welcome drink in the park’s café.
Please see our gallery of photographs which captures the second half of Walk the Wight from Carisbrooke Castle to Album Bay.
©2011 Isle of Wight Council
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