On Thursday 6 June 2019, Matt Seward will join 200 other cyclists as he attempts to ride the TransAtlantic Way; a solo self-supported 2,500km route along the western coast of Ireland. Starting in Dublin, riders head to Derry and follow the coast all the way to Kinsale near Cork.
Matt from Broadstairs, who works at his local family printing business, Seaward Copy Shop, is keen to support Pilgrims Hospices. He told us: “I am doing this ride in memory of my dad Roger who passed away last September after his year-long battle with cancer. Dad was 75 years old; he’d always been a fighter, overcoming many illnesses during his life and before he lost his sight he was a keen cyclist himself, raising money for charity.
This is my biggest challenge yet!
Matt Seward
“Pilgrims Hospices were so supportive, they really helped to comfort my dad and the whole family. They respected his wishes and maintained his dignity right to the end so that he could be at home where he passed away with his family by his side. Their support was invaluable.
“You don’t truly realise the positive impact and the great work that they do until you need them.”
On the ride, Matt is aiming to cycle around 325km each day, sleeping under the stars on some nights and staying at bed and breakfasts on others to catch up with a good night’s sleep.
“I have wild camped around the Lake District and Snowdonia, therefore have some experiences to draw down upon. I find that when I am tired every bench, bus shelter or bush looks appealing.”
Matt sporting his Pilgrims Hospices cycling jersey
Matt began seriously training for his challenge in January this year, increasing his cycling hours by using an indoor trainer during the winter months. He has completed some overnight rides of around 300km and has been to Ireland to do a training ride around the Ring of Kerry.
Matt told us: “I am a member of Thanet Road Club and I’ve been doing long distance cycling challenges for the past few years. This is my biggest challenge yet!
“I am cycling around the entire route on my own and unsupported; carrying all of my clothes, sleeping bag and tools with me. I must find places to buy food on the route. In this wild part of Ireland, it can sometimes be 80km between shops!
“Although there is no official cut off time for finishing, there is a finishers party on Saturday 15 June; I hope to make it to the finish by then in time for a Guinness!”
Each year Pilgrims supports hundreds of local people coping with a life-limiting illness and their families. The charity offers a range of services: from end of life care given on its wards to its Wellbeing and Social Programme supporting people after they are diagnosed to live well and stay independent.
25th April 2019
Daniel loses weight and gains ground in marathon run for grandad
Daniel Williams (27) from Deal didn’t expect to win a ballot place for this year’s London Marathon, but when he did he knew that he wanted to do it for Pilgrims Hospices. The charity cared for Daniel’s grandad, Ron Collard, in 2017, so he took the opportunity to give back and achieve a personal fitness goal at the same time.
Ron had lung cancer and was cared for by Pilgrims at the end of his life.
Daniel said: “My grandad was my rock. He was a big part of my life, and losing him left a big hole in our family. Pilgrims were fantastic, not only caring for my grandad but for our family, too. They were amazing. There isn’t enough any of us can do to pay them back for their kindness and the time they gave us.”
I know my grandad would be very proud of me and I’m determined to do the marathon to give back just a fraction of what Pilgrims gave us as a family.
Daniel
Daniel with his personal trainer Steph
In October 2018, Daniel found out he’d won a place in the London Marathon. Initially shocked and surprised, he accepted the challenge. He said: “After a lot of thinking and sleepless nights I decided I was going to take on this mammoth feat, not knowing at the time that it would change my life around for good. I felt it would be a nice opportunity to give a little something back to Pilgrims.”
Before he could think about completing a marathon, Daniel knew he needed to get in shape and start training. At 25 stone, he had a lot of weight to lose. He added: “I started off by eating healthier, walking every evening and signing up to a gym with my personal trainer, Steph Hoare, training five nights a week. Steph has been my rock throughout, picking me up when I didn’t think I could do it and keeping me motivated. The weight began falling off very quickly.”
Daniel before and after his weight loss
To date, Daniel has covered more than 1,000 miles in his training runs and lost an incredible nine and a half stone. Since October 2018, he’s gone from 4XL to Large / XL in clothing. He said: “This a massive achievement. It has totally changed my life around, I can now do so many things that I wasn’t able to before. I know my grandad would be very proud of me and I’m determined to do the marathon to give back just a fraction of what Pilgrims gave us as a family.
“I’m aiming to complete the London Marathon in six hours. I can’t wait to cross that finish line for my grandad.”
Daniel has already raised an amazing £1,500 in sponsorship for Pilgrims Hospices. You can sponsor him by visiting his JustGiving page.
If you’re inspired to follow in Daniel’s footsteps and take on an event or challenge for Pilgrims, visit pilgrimshospices.org/events to find out more.
If you or someone you know is coping with a life limiting illness and you think you may benefit from Pilgrims free services, talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about your options or click here to read about our Wellbeing and Social Programme.
16th April 2019
Debenhams Ashford team pedal to Liverpool and beyond for Pilgrims
Debenhams Ashford are the first team to get on their bikes and ride as part of Pilgrims Hospices My 10, Any 10 challenge.
A team of 30 staff came together to support Pilgrims Hospices on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 April by getting on their bikes in the County Square store. The team surpassed their own plans, riding a virtual distance of 300 miles from Ashford to Liverpool as part of Pilgrims’ new My 10, Any 10 challenge.
The team of all ages and abilities took turns of 10-30 minutes each to cycle for over five hours in total on two static bikes. The cycling contingent had planned to cycle to Brighton and to do 10 miles or km at a time, but the miles kept coming and the tired legs kept pedalling, so the team decided their end would be Liverpool instead.
Pilgrims is very close to our hearts, a member of staff was cared for at the hospice in Ashford. As a store we chose to take part in the My 10, Any 10 challenge to help raise much needed funds for local hospice care.
Amanda Bancroft, My 10 event organiser at Debenhams
Amanda Bancroft, one of the organisers from Debenhams, said: “We have chosen to support Pilgrims as it is a charity very close to our hearts, after a member of staff was cared for at the hospice in Ashford. As a store we chose to take part in the My 10, Any 10 challenge to help raise much needed funds for local hospice care.
“We took on the challenge of cycling the distance from Ashford to Brighton in store over two days but had so much fun that we ended up cycling the distance to Liverpool instead! We would like to say a big thank you to all of our staff and customers who supported us over the weekend, helping to raise a fantastic £1,000.
“A special thank you to the Park Club Gym in Ashford for loaning the two bikes, Water Direct who kindly donated bottles of water and the Debenhams Beauty Houses for donating prizes for the raffle, including a voucher from Longacres.
“We had such fun and hope to continue raising money for the hospice in April.”
My 10, Any 10 is an inclusive challenge for people of all ages to set themselves the target of achieving 10 of something.
This may be 10 circuits of a school field, 10 miles on a bike, a 10-hour static cycle, a 10km swim completed over several sessions in a pool, or it could be doing something 10 times to celebrate 10 years of Pilgrims’ Cycle Challenge.
My 10, Any 10 participants can either raise sponsorship for their chosen 10 or ask people to pay to take part in a group activity. Every pound raised will go towards the care of people living with incurable illness, and their families, here in east Kent.
This May the Pilgrims Hospices Cycle Challenge reaches 10 years of pedal power for Pilgrims. By taking part in the My 10, Any 10 and the Cycle Challenge you will be making a real difference to the lives of thousands of local people living with an incurable illness. Every pedal turned and pound raised will help support our patients; making them comfortable, alleviating pain and enabling them to make the most of the time they have. With your help we can continue to be there for the next family who needs us.
If you or someone you know is coping with a life limiting illness and you think you may benefit from Pilgrims free services, talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about your options or click here to read about our Wellbeing and Social Programme.
25th February 2019
Daisy and Jimmy’s paw-fect walk for grandma Pauline
Daisy Nicholls Delo (11) from Margate and her pet pug Jimmy will take part in Paws 4 Pilgrims, a fun sponsored walk for Pilgrims Hospices, on Sunday 24 March 2019. The pair are walking in memory of Daisy’s grandma, Pauline Georgina Nicholls, who received care from the local hospice charity after she was diagnosed with liver cancer.
Pauline was from Westgate and worked for many years as a pharmacy assistant. She was a loving and family-orientated woman who always put others before herself. Her daughter and Daisy’s mum, Kirsty Nicholls (47), said: “Mum was devoted to raising my sister Michele and I, then when her grandchildren came along she dedicated her life to them. She really was the best mum.”
Pauline with her grandchildren Callum (24), Daisy (11) and Ruby (12)
Pauline was initially diagnosed with liver cancer in July 2017. She had chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment and was doing well, but sadly the cancer spread to her bones and became incurable. It was then that Pilgrims stepped in to help Pauline and her family. She was taken into the Margate hospice on 5 October 2018 and passed away six days later, aged 72. Kirsty said: “Mum wasn’t doing great when she arrived at the hospice, but she received the most amazing treatment and care. Pilgrims made her last week pain and stress-free and we will be forever grateful.
“The support we’ve experienced from Pilgrims as a family has been unbelievable; they helped Daisy through a really tough time, and my sister still receives their help now. Whenever she goes to the hospice the nurses and volunteer receptionists stop to ask how she’s doing, they always make time to talk.”
The support we’ve experienced from Pilgrims as a family has been unbelievable; they helped Daisy through a really tough time, and my sister still receives their help now.
Kirsty Nicholls
Daisy and Jimmy are taking part in the charity’s sponsored walk along the Deal coastline to say thank you, and to help other people who need Pilgrims’ care in the future. Family and friends will be supporting them on the day. Kirsty added: “Pilgrims means a lot to our family because they helped my mother through the last part of her life. She was only in the hospice for a short time, but the care she received was perfect and we are eternally grateful.”
Karen Kenward, Community Fundraising Manager, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Daisy and her pooch Jimmy after they won a free entry into our Paws 4 Pilgrims event through our Christmas competition last year. I am sure they will be looking to win much more in the fun dog show, too, that follows after the walk. There are 12 classes to choose from, including Fastest Sausage Catcher to Dog with the Most Sparkiest Eyes. Daisy has already raised £165 through JustGiving to help provide palliative care for the next person who needs Pilgrims’ vital support. What an amazing gift. Thank you.”
You can sponsor Daisy and Jimmy by visiting their JustGiving page.
Feeling inspired to join Daisy and Jimmy on this fun 5k walk?
Paws 4 Pilgrims takes place on Sunday 24 March in Deal. Sign up at pilgrimshospices.org/paws by 5pm on Monday 4 March to save with our Early Bird offer of just £10 per entry. All entries include one person and one dog. There’s no minimum sponsorship; dogs are asked to use their puppy dog eyes to raise as much sponsorship as they can!
If you or someone you know is coping with a life limiting illness and you think you may benefit from Pilgrims support, talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about the options or click here for information about our Wellbeing and Social Programme.
3rd May 2018
Joe and Florence take on the Exmoor Challenge in aid of Pilgrims Hospices
Over the weekend of 20 – 22 April Joe aged 9 and Florence aged 12 Wrake took part in the inaugural Exmoor Expedition with The Children’s Challenge and raised nearly £800 in aid of Pilgrims Hospices.
The Children’s Challenge was set up as a vehicle for young people to raise money for a charity of their choice whist giving them with a genuine challenge in the form of a hike across Exmoor
There were 3 routes to choose from. Florence (and her mum Lisa) walked the 17km one and Joe the longest 21km route. It took 7 & 6 hours respectively starting at 8.30am. It certainly was a challenge for them all.
Lisa explained why they chose to support Pilgrims Hospices: “In 2011 Florence and Joe’s dad Run was diagnosed with lung cancer. Despite surgery and chemotherapy after 6 months his prognosis became terminal and his health deteriorated quickly. In a time of utter disbelief and confusion, Pilgrims Hospice Ashford became our sanctuary – providing practical, mental and spiritual support; it was a quiet, dignified and safe place for us to be together as a family in our final weeks.
“There was a garden for the children to play in, bright rooms with balconies, a living area and kitchen, doctors, nurses and a variety of therapists available around the clock. I still cannot believe this organisation is entirely free at point of use yet 77% of its funding comes from voluntary donations.”
When describing the challenge she said: “The weather was good bar for a few drops of rain towards the end, and the landscape is lovely – woodland, moorland, hills and valleys. It was nice to think about Run as we walked. It was the first time my children have ever done something like this and I am sure will want to do it again next year!”
Isabel Smith, Community Fundraising Officer said: “We are so grateful to Joe and Florence for undertaking such a challenge in aid of Pilgrims Hospices. The walk sounds amazing. The money they have raised will help Pilgrims to support another family like theirs who are facing a similar situation.
“If you would like to take part in a challenge in aid of Pilgrims Hospices please visit the events and challenges pageto see what is happening in your area. “
Each year Pilgrims supports hundreds of local people coping with a life limiting illness and their families. The charity offers a range of services: from end of life care given on its wards, to its new Wellbeing and Social Programme supporting people after they are diagnosed to live well and stay independent.
21st February 2018
Ralph puts his best paw forward for Pilgrims
Ralph the gorgeous three-year-old Shih Tzu-Bichon Frise cross and his owner, Megan Bell, will join Pilgrims Hospices brand new sponsored dog walk Paws 4 Pilgrims in Deal on Sunday 25 March. They will walk the 5K coastal route in memory of Megan’s dad, Frankie Bell, who was cared for at Pilgrims Hospice Thanet. With the support of her family and friends, Megan has already raised more than £800 for vital care for even more local people.
Megan, who is 25 and works as an hotel receptionist at Pegwell Bay Hotel in Ramsgate, said: “Dad was only 58 years old when he was cared for by Pilgrims; he and Ralph were great pals and often shared walks together before he became ill. We are very proud to take part in his memory.”
Megan told us: “Ralph is full of fun. We are really looking forward to the walk, it’s such a beautiful place and if people don’t know the area very well, it’s really worth a visit. It’s a wonderful place for a doggy walk, and I’m looking forward to seeing lots of doggy pals for Ralph to walk with and enjoying the dog events after the walk.
“Dad was cared for at Pilgrims Hospice Thanet in November 2016. During his time there, he was treated with the most amazing love and care. I cannot thank the wonderful staff enough for everything they did for Dad and our family. I want to raise as much money as I can for people who need care in the future. The hospice was a happy place for us, and Dad said it was just like a hotel.
Dad was cared for at Pilgrims Hospice Thanet in November 2016. During his time there, he was treated with the most amazing love and care.
Megan
“I really admire the work the nurses and doctors put in day and night to ensure all their patients get the best quality care that they deserve. They really made my dad feel at home during his stay there; they also welcomed our family with open arms. Ralph visited Dad at the hospice every day and even knew which room to find him in. He also enjoyed going to visit the other patients, and made friends with volunteers who often had treats for him.”
You can help Megan to raise even more funds for Pilgrims by sponsoring Ralph on Megan’s Just Givingpage. A small donation of just £1 can help make a huge difference to those who need Pilgrims care the most.
I will be forever grateful to Pilgrims, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
Megan
Megan said: “I will be forever grateful to Pilgrims, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
Each year Pilgrims supports hundreds of local people coping with a life limiting illness and their families. The charity offers a range of services: from end of life care given on its wards, to its new Wellbeing and Social Programme supporting people after they are diagnosed to live well and stay independent.
