WITH just 24 hours left before registration closes people wanting to take part in a unique charity event this summer are being urged to secure their place today to avoid missing out.

Hundreds of local people have already signed up for the Midnight Walk, to be held on Saturday June 30, but organisers at Saint Michael’s in Harrogate are urging those who haven’t yet registered to step forward before the Friday June 15 deadline.

The event, which is supported by Engage Mutual, is a quarter marathon walk aimed at raising vital funds for Saint Michael’s, the charity that helps families across the district living with terminal illness and bereavement.

Chief Executive of Saint Michael’s, Tony Collins, said:

“The Midnight Walk is our flagship fundraising event and we’re delighted that once again our loyal supporters are throwing their weight behind the cause. However, we really do need as many people as possible to sign up and we’re urging everyone in the Harrogate district to register, come along and have a great time. We need all the support we can get in our mission to care for people in the area who are dealing with terminal illness and bereavement, so please think about signing up with your friends and family or as a team with work colleagues and associates”.

A group who have done just that is the Jennyfield Gems team – a group of volunteers and supporters from Saint Michael’s shop at Jennyfields Drive, Harrogate.

Saint Michael’s retail fundraiser and leader of the Jennyfield Gems team, Mags Kent, said:

“The Jennyfield’s community have really taken us into their hearts since the shop opened 18 months ago.  If you’d like to take part in the Midnight Walk but don’t have anyone to walk with, why not join our team? Anyone is welcome to join us, the Midnight Walk atmosphere is amazing but it’s a long way to walk on your own. Just add the Jennyfield Gems as your team name when you sign up to walk with us. It’ll be a fantastic night with the entire community coming together in the name of an incredibly worthy cause.”

Saint Michael’s cares for more than 2,400 local people a year through inpatient care, day therapy, lymphoedema support, bereavement support, respite care and specialist support for people in their own homes.

It costs £3.9million each year to maintain these vital services, and, with more than 80 percent of this figure raised through the community, events like the Midnight Walk are vital to allow the charity to continue its work.

The quarter marathon sponsored walk starts and ends at the Yorkshire Events Centre, on Wetherby Road. It is suitable for all ages and abilities and it costs just £12 to register.

Secure your place today

A TEAM of local DIY specialists are set to paint the town red by taking part Harrogate’s biggest summer community event.

The team, from B&Q, Harrogate, will join hundreds of local people taking part in this June’s Midnight Walk to raise vital funds for Saint Michael’s, the charity that supports more than 2,400 people from across the district each year.

Anne Smith, community events organiser for the Oak Beck Road store, said:

“We have chosen Saint Michael’s as our charity of the year and we wanted to go that extra mile – the Midnight Walk is the perfect way to do just that”.

And the ten-strong team, who will complete the quarter marathon Midnight Walk route in their distinctive orange aprons, are urging customers to help them reach their fundraising target of £500.

Anne said:

“During June we’ll be asking customers to sponsor our Midnight Walk team, even if it’s just spare change in the collection box it will help make a big difference. Everyone in Harrogate knows someone who’s been cared for by Saint Michael’s and as a team we’ll do anything we can to support the Hospice.”

The quarter marathon fundraiser takes place this year on Saturday June 30 and will raise money for people living with terminal illness and bereavement.

Saint Michael’s chief executive, Tony Collins, said:

“The Midnight Walk is such a popular event for our community and it’s great that so many business teams are signing up to take part.  It’s the one night of the year where friends, families and colleagues get together to support those in their own community who are going through a very difficult time. Since 2007, our Midnight Walkers have raised more than £500,000 to support local families living with terminal illness and bereavement – that is a huge impact and something that everyone involved can be very proud of.”

The 6.5mile sponsored walk will start and finish at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, and follow a well lit, fully marshalled circular route around Harrogate town centre.

For the fifth year running the event is sponsored by Engage Mutual.

Places are limited and participants must pre-register before Friday June 15. Registration costs just £12 for adults, and £6 for under 16s.

Secure your place today.

AN EXCLUSIVE Pannal boys’ club will take to the streets of Harrogate this summer for its annual charity fundraiser.

Father and son David and Harry Binder will complete the Midnight Walk together on Saturday June 30 for the sixth year running.

It’s a special date on the Binder boys’ calendar as the pair remember Harry’s aunt, who was cared for by Saint Michael’s in the last days of her life, and celebrate the memory of Harry’s granddad, who died before the 16-year-old was even born.

David, 56, owner of Fountain House Construction, said:

“Our commitment to the Midnight Walk began in 2007 after Harry said he’d like to take part in memory of his granddad, who died of cancer in 1988. My father-in-law was a remarkable man, and Harry’s dedication to a man he sadly never got to meet is testament to his legacy”.

David, who survived a horrific car crash in 1998 which saw him break 31 bones, said:

“We’ve been through a lot as a family in recent years and the Midnight Walk gives Harry and I a chance to bond; we walk, we talk, and it’s something I look forward to as a father”.

The duo have raised more than £1,000 for Saint Michael’s, all of which has enabled the charity to continue to provide its specialist services to more than 2,400 people each year.

Tony Collins, chief executive of Saint Michael’s, said:

“I think the Binders sum up the reason why the Midnight Walk is so special to our community. It’s about relationships, past and present, and is a chance for people to come together to how their support for family, friends and the wider community who have been touched by terminal illness and bereavement. This support, which has translated into more than £500,000 for Saint Michael’s since 2007, is something that everyone involved should be very proud of”.

The 6.5mile sponsored walk will start and finish at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, and follow a well lit, fully marshalled circular route around Harrogate town centre.

For the fifth year running the event is sponsored by Engage Mutual. The event is also being supported by two media partners, Harrogate Advertiser and 97.2 Stray FM.

Places are limited and participants must pre-register before Friday June 15. Registration costs just £12 for adults, and £6 for under 16s.

Register online today or call Saint Michael’s on  (01423) 879 687.

HUNDREDS of places on Harrogate’s favourite quarter marathon charity walk have already been snapped up by people eager to show their support for local families living with terminal illness and bereavement.

More than 300 people have secured their place on the Midnight Walk, supported by Engage Mutual, which will take place this year on Saturday June 30.

Each person taking part in the sponsored star-lit stroll will be raising vital funds for Saint Michael’s, the local charity that supports more than 2,400 people from across the Harrogate district each year.

Stepping out with this year’s walkers will be Saint Michael’s nurse, Ruth Hryszko.

Ruth, who has worked on the hospice’s inpatient unit for 11 years, said:

“This will be the third time I’ve taken part in the Midnight Walk and each time it just gets better and better. There’s such an amazing atmosphere, the whole community comes together with one goal”.

Ruth will be joined on the quarter marathon walk by 17-year-old son, Joe, a sixth form student at St. John Fisher School, Harrogate. She added:

“As a senior sister at Saint Michael’s I know first-hand just how vital our services are to people living with terminal illness and their families. Saint Michael’s care and support is provided free of charge to patients and their families and this is only possible thanks to the generosity of our communities and events like the Midnight Walk. Joe has already raised more than £50 in sponsorship from his school friends which just shows how important Saint Michael’s is to everyone in our community.”

Every penny of this personal sponsorship will be used to ensure the charity’s services, which include inpatient care, planned respite care, day therapy, lymphoedema support, specialised support for people at home, palliative care education and bereavement support, continue to be available to people across the Harrogate district both now and in the future.

Since 2007, the Midnight Walk has raised more than £500,000 for Saint Michael’s.  The charity, which celebrates its 25^th anniversary this summer, needs £3.9million each year to maintain its current services.

The 6.5mile Midnight Walk will start and finish at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, and follow a well lit, fully marshalled circular route around Harrogate town centre.

For the fifth year running the event is sponsored by Engage Mutual, and supported by two media partners, Harrogate Advertiser and 97.2 Stray FM.

Places are limited and participants must pre-register before Friday June 15. Secure your place today here. Alternatively, paper registration forms are available from any Saint Michael’s shop or by calling the hospice on (01423) 879 687.

It’s here! The route map for this year’s 6.5 mile Midnight Walk, supported by Engage Mutual.

Starting and finishing at the Yorkshire Events Centre, the Midnight Walk follows a well-lit, fully marshalled 6.5 mile circular route around Harrogate

Saint Michael’s supporter, Sue Oxley, has taken part in the Midnight Walk every year since the event began in 2007.  Here, the retired deputy head teacher shares her Midnight Walk memories with us.

I first heard about Saint Michael’s Hospice in 1988. My mum, who was dying from breast cancer, would need a hospice very soon. Saint Michael’s was not complete in time for her to enjoy the special care that Saint Michael’s is now renowned for.

Nearly 20 years later, in 2007, a friend, Moira, asked me to accompany her on the first Midnight Walk. She had throat cancer and had endured countless chemo and radio therapy treatments; she wanted to get herself fit again. The Midnight Walk was the challenge.

We began with short walks in the countryside around her home, practising and strengthening Moira, and gradually built up the distance to six and a half miles. Finally we were ready!

Many of my friends found it quite incredible that I was going to give up my sleep to walk six and a half miles at midnight. They didn’t know what they were missing. A fantastic atmosphere, people chatting, laughing – a real sense of camaraderie! A great way to raise money for a worthy cause.

So began a routine of me registering for the walk, as early as possible, sometimes I walked with friends and last year I did it on my own. Moira had continued her battle with cancer, but finally lost it in April 2011. Walking on my own was hard last year, but I was determined to raise money for Saint Michael’s again and to walk in memory of Moira – a very special lady.

She spent the last few weeks of life in the beautiful setting of Saint Michael’s with the caring nurses, doctors and other staff, where nothing was too much trouble. She loved dogs and the PAT dogs who came to visit gave her great joy.

Saint Michael’s is a wonderful place filled with tranquillity, care and peacefulness.

MORE THAN 150 people have already signed up for Harrogate’s biggest summer community event.

And there are still two days left to join them in taking advantage of an early bird entry offer for Saint Michael’s Midnight Walk. Those securing their place at the event, supported by Engage Mutual, before midnight on Sunday April 1 will register for the special price of just £10.

The quarter marathon fundraiser takes place this year on Saturday June 30 and will raise money for people living with terminal illness and bereavement.

Saint Michael’s chief executive, Tony Collins, said: “The Midnight Walk is such a popular event for our community and there’s been a rush of people signing up online. But with limited places available, we are urging people to take advantage of the early bird offer and sign up today to avoid missing out. Since 2007, our Midnight Walkers have raised more than £500,000 to support families in our community living with terminal illness and bereavement – that is a huge impact and something that everyone involved can be very proud of.”

The 6.5mile sponsored walk will start and finish at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, and follow a well lit, fully marshalled circular route around Harrogate town centre.

For the fifth year running the event is sponsored by Engage Mutual. The event is also being supported by two media partners, Harrogate Advertiser and 97.2 Stray FM.

Places are limited and participants must pre-register before Friday June 15. Registration price after Sunday April 1 is £12 for adults, and £6 for under 16s.
People can secure their place online today here. Alternatively, paper registration forms are available from any Saint Michael’s shop or by calling the hospice on (01423) 879 687.

A HARROGATE-BASED financial services mutual has announced its backing of one of Harrogate’s most popular charity events for the fifth year running.

Engage Mutual is the corporate sponsor of this summer’s Midnight Walk, the annual community fundraiser in aid of Saint Michael’s.

The event sees hundreds of local people take to the streets of Harrogate at midnight to raise funds for the charity that cares for more than 2,400 people living with terminal illness and bereavement each year.

Chief executive of Engage Mutual, Andrew Haigh, said:

“Our sponsorship of the Midnight Walk enables Saint Michael’s to turn our donation into a much bigger contribution towards their running costs, and also gives us the opportunity to lend more than just financial support.

“Many staff get fully behind the event, helping to promote it through leaflet drops, volunteering as stewards or registration clerks on the night, as well as raising sponsorship and taking part in the walk itself.

“It’s great to be able to get involved in an event that genuinely unites the community behind an extremely good cause.”

Saint Michael’s chief executive, Tony Collins, said:

“Engage Mutual’s continued support of the Midnight Walk illustrates a remarkable long term commitment to ensuring that local people get the end of life care they want, need and deserve.

“More than 4,000 local people have taken part in the Midnight Walk since 2007, raising more than £500,000 for Saint Michael’s.

“Engage Mutual should be very proud of the part they continue to play in this event’s success”.

Engage Mutual, whose offices are situated next to Saint Michael’s on Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, are long-term supporters of the charity.

The company are members of the charity’s corporate partnership scheme, the Guild of Patrons, have a volunteer scheme which allows employees to undertake a variety of tasks for the hospice within working hours, as well as a regular programme of staff fundraising initiatives.

The Midnight Walk will take place on Saturday June 30 but participants must pre-register before Friday June 15.

Registration costs just £10 for those signing up before March 31.

Engage Mutual’s corporate support plus walker registration fees cover event costs, meaning all personal sponsorship goes directly to Saint Michael’s, which needs £3.9million every year to maintain its specialist services.

The event is open to all and is suitable for all ages and abilities.

Register your place today.

HARROGATE’S favourite starlight stroll returns for its sixth year this summer with a special early bird offer for those signing up before the end of March. The Midnight Walk, the annual quarter marathon fundraiser in aid of Saint Michael’s, will take place this year on Saturday June 30.

Tony Collins, chief executive of the charity that provides specialist end of life care and support to more than 2,400 local people each year, said: “We are celebrating Saint Michael’s 25^th anniversary this year, so as it’s a special year for Saint Michael’s we hope that this Midnight Walk is extra special for the community.

“Since 2007, our Midnight Walkers have raised more than £500,000 to support families in our community living with terminal illness and bereavement – that is a huge impact and something that everyone involved can be very proud of.”

The 6.5mile walk will start and finish at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Showground, Wetherby Road, and follow a well lit, fully marshalled circular route around Harrogate town centre.

The first person to sign up to this year’s event and to take advantage of the £10 early bird offer was committed Midnight Walker, Sue Oxley, from Wetherby.

The retired deputy head teacher has taken part in the event every year since it began in 2007 and couldn’t wait to secure her place on the star light stroll this time around.

Sue, walking for the second consecutive year in memory of her friend and relative, Moira Wilson, who died in Saint Michael’s inpatient unit in April 2010, said: “It was Moira who originally encouraged me to sign up to the first ever Midnight Walk and we continued to take part together each year until she became too ill.

“Last year’s walk was hard, coming so soon after losing Moira. But I was determined to do it, both for my dear friend, and to support the charity that cared for her in the last weeks of her life.”

Midnight Memories: Sue Oxley with her friend Moira Wilson in Saint Michael's inpatient unit

“It’s now a bittersweet event for me, but the atmosphere is fantastic and there is plenty of support along the way.

“I love my sleep, but this is the one night of the year that I don’t mind having a very late night.”

Tony Collins added “Sue is a tireless supporter of the Midnight Walk, raising a significant amount of personal sponsorship to support the services that helped her dear friend.

“We are grateful for her continued support and look forward to welcoming her back this year to help us celebrate our 25^th anniversary.”

For the fifth year running the event is sponsored by Engage Mutual. Andrew Haigh, chief executive of the Harrogate-based financial services provider, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Midnight Walk for a fifth year.

“In addition to our sponsorship of the event, we have many staff members who look forward to taking part, either as walkers or through a number of volunteer roles.  It’s a great opportunity to be part of an enjoyable and important community event which supports a great cause”.

The event is also being supported by two media partners, Harrogate Advertiser and 97.2 Stray FM.

The charity is offering a special early bird registration price of just £10 for those signing up to the event before Thursday March 31.
Places are limited and participants must pre-register before Friday June 15.

Secure your place online today. Alternatively, paper registration forms are available from any Saint Michael’s shop or by calling the hospice on (01423) 879 687.

Click on this link to relive the night - Engage Mutual Midnight Walk 2011 – Highlights