Daughter's plea to back Leeds hospice's Starlight Hike in bid to raise Â£20,000

Pictured (left to right) are Cassandra Larkin, Danielle Gill and Amber Mallinson.

A DAUGHTER whose late mother was cared for by nurses from SueÂ Ryder Wheatfields Hospice is set to take part in the Starlight Hike fundraising walkÂ in her memory.

Danielle Gill from Drighlington is encouraging people to join her on the Starlight Hike, the Headingley hospice's biggest fundraising event of the year.

It will see hundreds of people walking together in memory of loved ones on 5K or 10K routes from Leeds Beckett University's Headingley campus from 7pm on Saturday October 20.

The Starlight Hike aims to raise £20,000 towards the cost of running Wheatfields Hospice.

Danielle, 38, who will walk with friends Cassandra Larkin and Amber Mallinson, has supported the hospice since her mother Jean Brewster died aged 56 in January 2010.

Danielle said: "My mum wasn’t cared for at the hospice as she wanted to be in her own home, but the nurses who visited her were from Wheatfields Hospice.

"They enabled her to have the end of life care that she wanted. In addition to that I received lots of support from the hospice’s family support team through bereavement counselling once mum had passed away.

"I was only ten weeks pregnant with my first child when I lost mum, so it was an exceptionally difficult time for me.

"I’m looking forward to enjoying the atmosphere and the experience with the girls that work for me, we don’t always get the opportunity to have fun together so it will be nice to do something fun”.

The Starlight Hike will start at 7pm on Saturday October 20 at Leeds Beckett University's Headingley campus on Church Wood Avenue.

People are invited to arrive earlier to register and enjoy the entertainment area, where they will find music, stalls and refreshments available.

Both 5K and 10K routes will take people through the Wheatfields Hospice grounds where walkers make a special visit the Starlight Garden and leave a special message to lost loved ones.

Michelle Darbyshire, a fundraiser at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, said: “The Starlight Hike is going to be our biggest fundraising event this year and is going to be really exciting to see so many people walking under the stars remembering loved ones “.

To register, call 0113 2033 377 or visit www.sueryder.org/WheatfieldsSLH or email [email protected]