Local Hospice chief, John Davies from Dorothy House and his springer spaniel, Myrtle, recently completed their 180 mile One Man and His Dog walking challenge with a celebration event in Bath.
Following an 8 mile walk on the canal tow path from Bradford on Avon to Bath, John Davies hosted the final event of the tour at the Pig and Fiddle Pub in Bath supported by local band, Bite the Buffalo.
The One Man & His Dog Walking Challenge achieved its aim to raise awareness of the work of the hospice among the local community.
John Davies and the Dorothy House team have met hundreds of local people and dozens of organisations including charities, community groups, religious groups, businesses, schools, the MOD and local dignitaries.
The 17 day event has also raised over £4,600 so far and fundraising continues on the One Man & His Dog page on www.localgiving.org until Friday 16th November.
The epic 180-mile walk visited all 28 Dorothy House shops and 20 towns and villages.
Over 17 days, the walking challenge spanned the hospice’s 700 square mile region across Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset and Wiltshire between 17th October to 2nd November.
The walking tour visited around twenty local towns and villages in the region starting off in Bath and Keynsham before travelling to Radstock and Midsomer Norton, Shepton Mallet, Frome, Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham, Devizes, Chippenham, Malmesbury, Corsham and Bradford on Avon among other places.
The walking tour launched the hospice’s bold ‘Everyday, Everyone’ plan for 2018-2025, aimed at meeting rising palliative and end-of-life care needs set to increase by a third by 2025 across Bath and North East Somerset, Wiltshire and Somerset.
John Davies and the Dorothy House team were out and about sharing the hospice’s vision for the future, meeting with local people, businesses, charities and community groups and raising vital funds for patient care.
The ‘Everyday, Everyone’ plan is the outcome of a two-year review and analysis into local care needs. The plan outlines how Dorothy House will develop its care and support services in the next seven years while meeting the challenges of an ageing population and a widening patient base as the hospice supports more people with non-cancer diagnoses.
Currently 21% of people cared for by the hospice are non-cancer patients, which will rise to an expected 56% in 2025.
John Davies, Chief Executive at Dorothy House said of the tour: “It’s been a delight to meet so many people and share our ambitious vision for the future of end of life care in our local community.
“We met the public, local businesses, charities and community groups on our travels and I’m grateful to all involved for their commitment to the hospice and many thanks to all who joined in our walking challenge.”
Wera Hobhouse, MP for the Bath Constituency said: ”My whole-hearted congratulations to John and Myrtle for completing their walking challenge and engaging with the local community to raise awareness of the hospice’s great work providing free, palliative and end of life care.
“John’s dedication and passion for Dorothy House shines through when you meet him and this event reflects both his strong leadership and the amazing work of this impressive charity and its outstanding care for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers.”
Providing hospice services requires significant funds and for every £1 received from the NHS, Dorothy House needs to raise a further £4 through fundraising in the community, their 28 shops and education programmes.
To donate, visit the One Man & His Dog page on www.localgiving.org or visit www.dorothyhouse.org.uk.