Rowcroft’s all-female Sleep Walk is back, and this year it promises more fun and laughter than ever with the fabulous theme of superheroes! In this flagship fundraising event, we are calling on the MARVEL-ous women and girls of South Devon to step up in true superhero style to take part in an exciting sponsored walk on Saturday 3 July to raise much-needed funds for end-of-life care. Choosing a five- or ten-mile circular walk, participants will set off in waves throughout the day, starting and finishing at either Paignton Green or Torre Abbey Meadows in Torquay.
“The Sleep Walk is an annual highlight for Rowcroft and we’re so lucky to be supported by so many amazing women and girls in our community,” says Alexia Croft, Rowcroft’s Events Manager. “Having had such a tough year, we thought it was about time to really let our hair down and have some fun! This year’s Sleep Walk offers the chance to have lots of laughs with friends and family, get some exercise and fresh air by the seaside, and raise crucial money for a really worthwhile cause. All our wonderful Sleep Walkers will receive a free superhero cape to wear on the day and this can be accessorised with a fun mask or headband, or with a t-shirt from our online Sleep Walk shop.
“This year, we’ve adapted the event to run throughout the day in order to maximise social distancing and ensure the safety of our Sleep Walkers. In addition, we’re offering a ‘virtual’ Sleep Walk for participants who would prefer to take part in The Sleep Walk independently in their own way – by creating a route of their choice and walking at a time that suits them between Saturday 3 July and Sunday 11 July.”
Rowcroft’s annual Sleep Walk has raised funds totalling nearly £1.5m in the ten years that the event has been running. Money raised from The Sleep Walk 2021 will go to fund our Hospice at Home service that provides expert care, support and compassion to local patients at home in their last two weeks of life. This vital service makes such a difference for families across the South Devon region – from Dartmouth to Dawlish and up onto Dartmoor – but in recent times the service has been overwhelmed by the escalating demand in the community. Rowcroft hopes to expand the Hospice at Home service by recruiting more nurses and healthcare assistants in order to support more local families in need.
“We are experiencing unprecedented demand for end-of-life care due to an increasingly ageing local population and because more people are choosing to be cared for at home,” says Karenne Weaver, Rowcroft’s Hospice at Home Manager. “Our patients tell us that, for them, home is where the heart is, and more than anywhere else they would prefer to be at home when they die. Through Hospice at Home, we enable patients to fulfil this wish. The money raised by The Sleep Walk will be crucial in helping us to expand our Hospice at Home service so that more people can feel the love and support of Rowcroft’s care in the place where they want it most – at home.”
This year’s Sleep Walk is sponsored by Kitsons Solicitors. Rhodri Davey, Managing Partner at Kitsons, said:
“Events like the Rowcroft Sleep Walk play an integral part in the regional fundraising calendar and Kitsons are delighted to once again be the headline sponsor. It is an amazing event for bringing women together across South Devon, and seeing the support from the local community is always truly remarkable.”
To take part in the Sleep Walk event, there’s a £15 sign-up fee for girls under 16, or £20 for over 16s. The virtual event costs just £5 to sign up. There’s no minimum age and all participants (including virtual Sleep Walkers) will be awarded a Sleep Walk medal.
To book your place on The Sleep Walk or for further information, please click here.