Midnight walk for Children's Hospice

THE Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice is seeking local people from Lisburn and the surrounding areas to step out and support their festive four mile Midnight Walk for Children’s Hospice services in Northern Ireland.

The event is the first of its kind in the Lisburn area and the charity is looking for the local community to get in on the excitement!

Dress in festive attire tonight (Friday) and join hundreds of children’s hospice supporters at 10pm outside Sprucefield, M&S to take part in the first ever Lisburn Midnight Walk for Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice. You will be able to warm up to Christmas tunes and experience the season to be jolly before starting on a four mile walk around Lisburn town centre at 11pm and returning to Sprucefield shortly after midnight.

All money raised from this charity event will be used to help fund care services for local children in the South Eastern Trust (SEHSCT).

Children’s Hospice Community Nurse, Suzanne Johnston explains: "We currently care for 40 children in the greater Lisburn area and 20 bereaved families all requiring the care and support of Children’s Hospice. Our community services support children with life-limiting conditions from the point of diagnosis to end of life and beyond with bereavement support.

"The services we deliver are by specially trained staff from specialist palliative care nurses, hospice at home nurses to a specialist social worker, however, the current recession has impacted significantly on our capacity to deliver the required amount of care in the South Eastern Trust. The level of need identified outweighs the services we can deliver.

"By supporting our Lisburn Midnight Walk this Christmas, we can see first hand the difference your contribution can make to children in our care and we would like to thank everyone who takes part in aid of our work."

The Midnight Walk starts at 10pm at Sprucefield (M&S), Lisburn and it is hoped the event will raise £10,000. Registration for the walk costs just £10 and will include a free goody bag on the night, fundraising pack and memory card for those who decide to walk in memory of a loved one.

Walkers are also being encouraged to raise a further £90 in sponsorship money which will go towards supporting the work of the Children’s Hospice community team.

Events Fundraiser, Lynn Boyce explains the importance of joining in this unique event in aid of the charity: "Our Lisburn Midnight Walk in aid of the Children’s Hospice offers a perfect opportunity to do something different and fun, whilst making a difference to lives of so many local children and their families who rely on our services. The four mile walk should suit almost anyone and we are expecting lots of fun at Sprucefield with music, dancing, prizes for the best dressed and free drinks from Frankie and Benny’s!”

To register for the Midnight Walk call 028 90 777123 or visit nihospice.org for further information.