A Walk To Remember 2017

On Sunday 8th October, Guild Care hosted its 5th annual Walk To Remember, where hundreds of participants set off from Worthing Pavilion on a 5k or 10k route across Worthing seafront.

Participants arrived early on a chilly autumn morning to register and receive their goody bags which included water donated by sponsors, protein balls supplied by The Protein Ball Company and stepometers from Wellness Worthing.

The walk was held at Goring Gap last year, but took place at Worthing Pavilion Theatre this year, thanks to sponsors who covered the costs of the venue, allowing the charity to host it at a focal point in Worthing town.  

The event was a huge success with hundreds of participants gathering to support and help raise vital funds for Guild Care’s dementia services, complete with music from Worthing’s Blue Steel Band.

Events Officer, Lily Banister-Weir said, “This year’s Walk to Remember was a huge success with 235 walkers taking part all to raise money for our vital dementia services. We would like to thank everyone involved in the event helping raise awareness and hope to see you all again next year.”

Participants all had their own personal reasons for taking part, whether that was a loved one living with dementia or who had passed away, help they had received from Guild Care and their dementia services or simply admiration for the help and support the charity give to people in the local community. 

On the day people had the opportunity to write on Guild Care’s memory tree, where they had the chance to leave messages on why they were walking and running, these included:

“To our lovely Nanny and our Mum. Living with dementia, but loved dearly, our Grandad is so special.”

“For my beautiful Nanny, always in our thoughts.” 

“My lovely Mum and Dad, I miss you every day, I love you.”

We would like to thank Emily Dimer for leading an energetic warm up that got the crowd pumped and the Mayor and Mayoress of Worthing for showing their support and handing our medals, as well as Town Crier, Bob Smytherman whose resounding voice commentated throughout.

The morning brought together both the young and old with participants as young as 5, walking and running alongside their family as well as residents from Guild Care’s three residential homes aged up to 100, coming together to support the charity making it a truly inclusive, family event. 

Suzanne Millard, Chief Executive of Guild Care said, “Our events are just not possible without the generosity of our volunteers giving up their time and helping us out. We rely heavily on the support of all our helpers and staff and can’t thank them enough. We would also like to express the gratitude we have for all those walkers and runners who showed up on Sunday to support our organisation, their support not only raises awareness for Guild Care, but also raises vital funds for our dementia services that are crucial for people in the local community living with dementia and their carers.” 

A huge thank you to all our brilliant volunteers who make an event like this possible and our sponsors and supporters; ETI Ltd, The Protein Ball Company, Wall Bros, Connect Catering, Nursing Hygiene Group, Sussex Style, Caring Ladies Funeral Directors, Stagecoach, Wellness Worthing and Face Media Group.

With such success and fun had this year, we hope to see you all and more next year, so save Sunday 7th October in your diaries.

It’s not too late to donate to this worthy cause. You can donate online at www.guildcare.org