An intrepid duo is taking on the challenge of walking 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall in just five days to raise £10,000 for St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester.
John Weight, (pictured above right) from Pershore, will stride out on the epic walk on Wednesday, 4th August, which would have been his wife’s birthday. He will be joined by friends Jim McBride (pictured above left) on the walk – Chairman of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce – and Jim’s wife, Janis, (pictured centre) who will provide back up to the adventurers.
Mr Weight, 68, explained, “Last year was the worst year of my life and it wasn’t because of Covid. My beloved wife, Ros, was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in February 2020 and passed away in May, aged 72.
“Ros bravely decided not to go along the path of chemotherapy, but instead spend as much time as she could with her daughter, grandchildren, family and vast number of friends. This proved to be a blessing for us all as we got to spend quality time talking, reminiscing, laughing and joking during her last weeks in the beautiful garden she had nurtured and loved.”
He added, “She painlessly passed away in our own home with the wonderful support of St Richard’s Hospice; who supported her as well as me, with ceaseless compassion, sensitivity and care – facilitated by the two wonderful nurses who will always fondly be remembered as the two Sues! I want to raise as much as possible for the hospice in gratitude for the fantastic support they provided for not only my wife Ros, but also myself.”
You can support Jim’s fundraising by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/John-Weight-Jim-McBride1?
Mr Weight and Mr McBride have been in training for the walk with the help of DNA Lifestyle in Pershore. They will be stopping over at Bowness on Solway, Carlisle, Gilsland, Chillerford, Heddon (Wylam) and spend the last night in Durham City, where Mr Weight was born.
Mrs Weight was an accomplished local artist and had worked at EVG Springhill Farms.
St Richard’s Hospice cares for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment and to their last days. It also supports their loved ones.
Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,300 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
St Richard’s is an independent charity and relies on donations and gifts in Wills for the majority of its income with the remainder funded by the NHS.