Director of fundraising for Weldmar to take on major challenge

Weldmar Hospicecare’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing is taking on a major challenge to raise funds for the cause very close to his heart.

 

Matt Smith will be doing a walk from Devon to Dorset, in just 24 hours!

 

Matt has recently spent time at Weldmar’s inpatient unit at Dorchester as a family member, as two much-loved members of his family were being cared for.

 

Sadly his aunt, Caroline passed away at the hospice on June 27th.

 

Matt said:

“It was all very quick for us as a family but she received the best possible care there, that she could have had at the end of her life.  She was made really comfortable, which was important for her, and for us as a family.”

 

Six months earlier, Matt’s Grandad was also cared for by Weldmar and spent six days at the IPU surrounded by his wife, daughters, grandchildren and family.

 

Matt started fundraising for Weldmar as a teenager when his Aunt Geraldine spent her last days at the hospice. Determined to give something back for the care she received, Matt started growing vegetables – and sold these on his doorstep making £25.

 

Twenty years later, and Matt has already raised more than £1,200 on his online fundraising page, just five days after announcing he was taking on his ‘Devon to Dorset 24 Hour Challenge’ in memory of caroline.

 

Matt said:

“I am very proud and privileged to be able to work for such an amazing charity, but as one of the Directors, I know just how difficult it is to raise funds at the moment, to enable us to continue providing these services completely free of charge, to everyone who needs it.”

“Covid-19 has had a significant impact on income but the care continues. People still deserve to be treated with care, compassion, dignity and respect and now, more than ever, Weldmar Hospicecare needs our support.”

 

So, Matt, on the first weekend of September 2020, is taking on his ‘Devon to Dorset 24 Hour Challenge’ – a walk of over forty miles, starting at Ladram Bay in Devon and finishing at Weldmar’s IPU in Dorchester.

 

The reason for choosing Ladram Bay to start, was because Caroline owned a caravan there, which was like a second home for her.

 

To donate to Matt’s major challenge tap here.