Walk for Wards 2023: Hundreds at Wilton House for Stars Appeal
It's the flagship fundraiser for Salisbury District Hospital's charity
Somewhere in the region of 2,000 people are going to be at Wilton House today (Sunday 9th July) for Stars Appeal’s flagship event.
Walk for Wards, which is going to be started by Greatest Hits Radio's Martin Starke, will raise tens of thousands of pounds for Salisbury District Hospital's charity.
Everyone taking part has chosen whichever department of the hospital they'd like to support - funding equipment, services and support over and above what the NHS can do.
Walkers have been able to choose one of three routes, 3km, 5km, or 10km – which takes in the woodland areas around Wilton House.
We’ve been speaking to people who are taking part:
Group of 20 walk for Neonatal Unit
Amesbury mum Hayley Howell is walking on behalf of the neonatal unit after her son Fletcher was born 11 weeks prematurely.
“I’m walking the 3km route, because I want to take Fletcher with me and he’s in a pushchair,” she told us.
Hayley will be walking with a group of around 20 people, including her mum and sister, who also had support from the neonatal unit with a premature birth.
Teenager with Cystic Fibrosis tackling longest route
Another family from Amesbury are taking part, and will be tackling the 10km route. Vicki Nash-Steer, her daughter Hannah, and Vicki's partner are walking in aid of Sarum Children's Unit.
Hannah suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, but doesn’t let it hold her back as she plays lots of sport, her favourite being football.
She told us they were doing the 10km route as “you might as well as go for the best one” if you’re going to take part.
More Children's Unit support after they save baby's life
Also walking for the Sarum Children’s Unit are Chris and Shelley Perkins, from Fordingbridge.
When their son Taylor became unwell at two weeks old, they rushed the tot to Salisbury Hospital where the staff saved his life.
Taylor, it transpired, had been born with a heart defect, but staff at the hospital kept him alive to have major surgery and now he is doing well.
“Quite nervously we waited throughout,” Chris told us, “We’re very grateful we went to the right place at the right time.”