Walk for Wards returning for 20th year in 2025
The Stars Appeal's flagship fundraiser will take place in July
The Stars Appeal's Walk for Wards event is returning for 2025, and marks its 20th anniversary year.
The sponsored walk, around the grounds of Wilton House, sees thousands of people taking part each year, to raise money for whichever department or ward at Salisbury District Hospital they'd like to support.
This year's event will be on Sunday 6th July - with a 3K, 5K or 10K route available.
To mark the 20th year, there'll also be a 15K version, which goes deeper into the Hare Warren woods and will make for a more challenging course for participants.
Lord Pembroke, President of the Stars Appeal and owner of the Wilton House estate said:
“It’s a real privilege to have been able to host Walk for Wards since 2007 and to see the community coming together in their thousands to support our local hospital. I encourage as many people as possible to join us on Sunday, July 6th to celebrate the 20th Walk for Wards and enjoy a fantastic day out for the whole family.”
To date, Walk for Wards has raised over £1.5million, which has helped fund projects across Salisbury Hospital including the Hospital’s first dedicated Breast Unit, a new Children’s Unit, Cardiac Suite and family accommodation on the Neonatal Unit, as well as state-of-the-art equipment such as additional MRI and CT scanners.
Dave Cates, of the Stars Appeal, said: “When we started the Walk for Wards in 2006, we could only have dreamt, that nearly two decades later, we would have had many thousands of people take part raising over £1.5million to date.
"Walk for Wards is a massively important event, not just in terms of the vital funds it raises to enhance our Hospital, but the opportunity it provides for people to come together, to celebrate and remember a loved one, and to pay tribute to the Hospital and its staff for the outstanding care they provide to us all.
“The success of the walk is entirely down to the incredible support the Stars Appeal receives from the local community and I extend my sincere thanks to every individual and organisation that supports the event, takes part or sponsors someone to do so. They have and continue to make a life-changing difference to local people in hospital, their families and the NHS staff who care for them. So please help us do more and join us on July 6th for this milestone Walk for Wards, it will be a day to remember.”
Walkers are asked to sign up in advance and commit to raising at least £20 or £50 sponsorship per person (depending on the route chosen) for any ward or department at Salisbury District Hospital.