Big-hearted staff at a bakery will be going the extra mile for a hospice – and handing out free sausage rolls.
Village Bakery supply sausage roles for Nightingale house on this years Midnight walk; Pictured front (L/R) are Amanda Kinsey, Nightingale house fund raiser with Tom Kellaway and Chloe Scott from Village Bakery and Village Bakery staff.
Eight members of the team at the Village Bakery will be taking part in the Midnight Walk in aid of Wrexham’s Nightingale House on Saturday, June 16.
This year for the first time the popular annual fund-raiser, which has traditionally been a women-only event, is open to everybody including men.
The two circular 6k and 10k courses both start and finish at Llwyn Isaf outside the Guildhall in Wrexham.
The proceedings get underway at 8.30pm with dancers, a DJ and a local band called Brass Monkeys on hand to get the walkers motivated for when they set off two hours later.
Everybody who completes the walk will receive a free sausage roll or cheese and onion pasty donated by the Village Bakery.
The walk is one of the main fund-raising events for the hospice which provides specialist palliative care services, completely free of charge.
Around 22 per cent of the cost of running the hospice comes from statutory funding – and they have to raise £3 million annually just to maintain the same level of service.
Among the walkers from the Village Bakery will be new product development assistant Amy Wickham, 24.
She said: “I want to take part in the Midnight Walk because it’s for such a good cause and the hospice do such a fantastic job.
“It’s also great to set myself a fitness goal to walk 10k and support my friends so we will do it together.
“I’ve got friends who’ve done it before who say it’s a great event so I’m really looking forward to it.
“We’ll also get a delicious Village Bakery sausage roll at the end. It’ll be worth it just for that!”
Colleague Chloe Scott, 29, an account manager, added: “I just think it’s a great local event to give support to the local hospice.
“They do a vitally important job in providing support to people and their families at a really difficult time in their lives.
“The Village Bakery is deeply rooted in the local community and it is important that we show our support to Nightingale House.”
Nightingale House area fundraiser Amanda Kinsey was grateful to the Village Bakery for providing the sausage rolls and the cheese and onion pasties.
She said: “When the walkers come back to Llwyn Isaf they’ll enjoy the sausage rolls and the cheese and onion pasties donated by the Village Bakery and also a hot tea or coffee.
“There’s always a really good spirit and we definitely encourage people to dress up, anything flashy.
“We have flashing merchandise which is available on the night or alternatively, people can call at Café Cwtch at Nightingale House on May 16 and June 1 to buy the merchandise in advance.
“If you register on either one of those nights you get a free pair of bunny ears as well.
“It costs just short of £3 million to run the hospice every year and we only get 22 per cent from the government.
“The rest of it needs to be raised through fundraising events, support and donations made by the general public in order to help all of our services, which is obviously palliative care primarily, but we also go as far as child bereavement services as well, which is turning into a big side of the hospice.
“There are a whole range of services, and they’re vital services for people at a really difficult time in their lives.
“We want to be there to help people whose lives are shorter than they should be, and also the families surrounding them. It’s not just about the patient. It’s about the families as well.
“The support of companies like the Village Bakery is massively important.
A contribution like the sausage rolls helps us financially because it’s not a cost to give something back to the people who are supporting us in the first place.
Knowing that a big company like the Village Bakery is helping out their local hospice is good for us and it’s good for them.
“Having a sausage roll or a cheese and onion pasty at the end of the walk is the perfect end to the perfect night.”
Village Bakery managing director Robin Jones said: “Nightingale House is a fantastic place, a really fantastic place and the care they provide is absolutely second to none.
“The Village Bakery is a family-run, community-oriented company with deep roots in the Wrexham area so we’re very pleased to have this opportunity to help the hospice.
“You never know when you as a family might need their services, and I think they really do a tremendous job on limited funds.
“It’s a great fun event but with a serious purpose behind it, and I am proud of all the staff who are taking part.”
To take part in the fundraising walk, visit www.nightingalehouse.co.uk/events or call the hospice fundraising office on 01978 314292.
