More than 260 people turned out to participate in a 5K charity memory walk over the weekend.

Over £10,000 raised for St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood, who held the event using the facility as the starting point for fundraisers on Sunday, September 15.

Starting at 11am, the route wound through the Essex countryside, courtesy of Paris Hall Farm, taking hundreds of people on a thoughtful journey to remember lost loved ones.

Sarah Thompson, chief executive at St Clare Hospice. “It just really brought home to us the importance of community, and supporting each other when facing loss and bereavement – and what an honour it is to be able to host an event like Walking in Memory for the people of West Essex and East Herts.”

Epping Forest Guardian:

A memorial display of “a sea of windmills, gently turning in the breeze,” remarked St Clare’s events fundraiser, Emma Broadbent, who organised Walking in Memory.

Epping Forest Guardian:

“It was such a poignant moment when the windmill display was complete – hundreds of windmills, each representing someone who is dearly missed, standing together around our Hospice pond,” said Ms Broadbent.

“Walking in Memory was a pleasure to organise, and we’ll be looking to host similar events each year as part of our mission to support local people facing death, dying and bereavement, in any way we can.

“We’d like to thank everyone who attended on Sunday for their support of St Clare Hospice – the money that we raised at Walking in Memory will be channelled directly into supporting local people at the end of life, and throughout bereavement, today and for years to come.”

For more information about Walking in Memory, please contact Emma Broadbent on 01279 773754 or emma.broadbent@stclarehospice.org.uk