DESPITE the rain, hundreds of walkers lit up the streets of Wrexham city centre this weekend to raise vital funds for Nightingale House Hospice.

Brightly dressed walkers gathered to participate in the Midnight Walk, a sponsored 5k or 10k route in Wrexham starting from Llwyn Isaf.

The night was full of fun, laughter, flashing bunny ears and memories of people who have been touched by the services the Wrexham hospice provides to the local community.

The community rallied together, with numerous local businesses throwing their weight behind the event, volunteers stepping up, staff from the hospice, and over 600 participants.

Mayor Beryl Blackmore said: “I am here tonight as the Mayor of Wrexham, I am absolutely delighted to join the Midnight Walk! I haven’t done it before, but the rain isn’t going to put me off… It is an amazing event. Everyone involved should be proud to be a part of it.

"I am taking part with seven people from the Women's Institute from Gresford. We have all been collecting lots of sponsors, and we can’t wait to have lots of fun along the route.”

Hafren Dyfrdwy ensured that participants stayed hydrated by supplying free water bottles and setting up water stations along the route. Meanwhile, Moneypenny added some extra sparkle with a glitter station for participants. Both businesses were proud sponsors of the Midnight Walk event.

Among the many people who took to the streets of Wrexham to show their support for Nightingale House Hospices flagship event, Matthew Gilbert, part of the infamous Unskateables group who completed a 250-mile coast-to-coast skateboard challenge last year in aid of Nightingale House Hospice, talked about why he was taking part in the Midnight Walk.

He said: "I am here to continue the friendship and connection, I guess, that the Unskateables have with the hospice. I am taking part in the 5k, but who knows, I might get carried away and do the 10k.

"The atmosphere is pretty good here, being amongst it all. There is music, everyone is dressed up and ready, and you can see flashing bunny ears and lights everywhere; it looks pretty cool!”

Around 90 people from the community volunteered their time and services for free to help make the event possible, as well as Bradley & Brynteg Cadet Detachments, North Wales Police and Fire Service, St Johns Ambulance Helping register participants were a married couple from Rossett, Mike and Wendy Ellingford. 

MOST READ

Wendy said: “After being personally touched by the services that Nightingale House offers, we volunteer our time at as many different events as we can. We know without the support of volunteers, the hospice just couldn’t put on events like these.

"Whenever we get the list of upcoming dates, we put our names down for anything we are available for. We just love doing it which is why we have been volunteers for several years now!”

The Midnight Walk is a key event in Nightingale House's annual calendar. The money raised through registration and sponsorship helps to fund the hospice's patient and family services for people living with life-limiting conditions.

Elise Jackson, event and campaigns manager at Nightingale House Hospice, said: "Wow, what a night!"