12 July 2024

More than 60 people, including children and their dogs, turned up to rainy Staunton Country Park on Sunday 7 July, to raise money for Portsmouth Hospitals Charity. The annual Walk for Wards event gave the local community the opportunity to walk 7.5km around the stunning country park whilst recognising the hard work of staff at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU).

The sponsored walk saw thousands raised for different departments and wards close to participants hearts. The money raised will be used to enhance patient care, support staff welfare and advance medical research within the Trust.

Zoe Parton, a Play Specialist in the Children’s Emergency Department at Queen Alexandra Hospital, took part in the walk and said, “I decided to take part to raise some more funds, as we are looking at what else we can do to enhance the experience of children and young people in our Emergency Department.”

PHU’s Chief Officer, Peter Ridley, who also braved the weather, said “The event is a fantastic opportunity to not only raise the profile of the charity, but also raise money while having a bit of fun. The money raised means we can do those extra bits that we know the NHS can’t always pay for so thank you to everyone who took part.”

Head of Portsmouth Hospitals Charity, Kate Sandys, added, “Every year it is an absolute pleasure to meet so many people on our Walk for Wards event who want to fundraise for the charity! This year was exactly the same, and despite the rain, our supporters and staff turned up to walk and raise funds for wards and departments across Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust. The sun was certainly shining at the end as we welcomed teams to the finish line. Huge thanks to everyone in our community who helped to make this day happen – we couldn’t do it without you!”