There were scenes of sun, sand and sparkling sea for supporters in the Derian House Children’s Hospice annual Morecambe Bay walk from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands this weekend.
Donning their green Derian t-shirts, 66 people and their furry friends took on the seven-mile stroll to raise money for local children’s hospice, Derian House, on Sunday (18 May).
Stocked up on snacks and sun cream, the determined walkers strode across sand and waded through water that was often up to their knees on the charity’s longest-running fundraiser – having being going for 29 years.
Together they raised an incredible £10,134 for the hospice that cares for over 400 children and their families each year.
Paula Buchanan, of Leyland, took part in the charity walk with her husband David.
“What a fabulous way to spend a Sunday morning,” said Paula, who is an Administrator at Derian House.
“It was fantastic to walk across Morecambe Bay and raise much-need funds for Derian House. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day. It was a leisurely walk with beautiful scenery and an amazing atmosphere! My favourite part of the day was wading through the sea – I loved it! I chose to go barefoot which was lovely and the sea was so refreshing. We made sure to take bananas and cereal bars to keep the energy levels up. It’s an amazing walk and I will be doing it again as enjoyed it so much.
“Thank you to all those who donated and to the team at Derian for all your hard work behind the scenes and on the day. Derian House is a very special place where I witness care and support to babies, children and young adults and their families on a daily basis – it was amazing to see so many people come together to support the hospice.”
Walkers signed up for the Morecambe Bay Walk for free, but were asked to raise a minimum of £50 for Derian House Children’s Hospice.
Kerry Salmon, Community Fundraiser at Derian House, said: “Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s Morecambe Bay Walk – raising an incredible amount for the children and families at Derian House. As always, thank you to Guide over Sands Trust for once again for leading the way. It will cost £6 million to run services at Derian House in 2025, and yet we receive very little funding from the government. We rely heavily on the generosity of our supporters for raising 70p in every £1 we need to keep running.”
Derian House cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West, helping them to make the most of every moment.
