End-of-life charity urging supporters to sign up for 10,000-step fundraiser
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End-of-life charity Marie Curie is calling on people across the north of Scotland to stride into spring next month by completing a daily 10,000-step challenge.
By signing up for the Step into Spring Campaign they will be showing their support for those impacted by death, dying and bereavement.
Marie Curie’s flagship fundraiser, the Great Daffodil Appeal – which is reaching its 35th anniversary next month – has, for the first time, had to cancel all public collections. The charity is facing a potential loss of over £3 million because of this.
One way the charity is hoping its supporters will back the campaign is by donning their trainers, getting out every day and walking 10,000 steps to raise money.
The Great Daffodil Appeal is the largest fundraising campaign in the charity sector and, since it began in 1986, the money raised has helped Marie Curie run its essential frontline services – providing care and support to people with terminal illnesses and their families across the country.
Over the past 12 months, key fundraising events have been cancelled and all of Marie Curie’s charity shops have had to close. Despite the cancelled public collections, the charity is calling on the public to dig deep and donate online, where they can also order daffodil pins.
Last year the charity saw an increased demand for its services.
Vonnie Stevenson, the charity's community fundraiser for the eastern Highlands, Moray and Banff, said: “The Great Daffodil Appeal is vitally important to us.
"Having been held every March for over three decades, this is the first time we’ve had to cancel all of our public collections. This is a huge blow as each volunteer would raise on average £80 from a collection shift – enough to pay for the equivalent of four hours of nursing care.
"The campaign would normally bring together thousands of people across the country to volunteer, fundraise, donate and wear a daffodil and we’re still encouraging people to do this in any way they can in a safe manner.
"In these unprecedented times we need the support of the public now more than ever. Our nurses are busier than ever before as families and healthcare professionals strive to keep patients at home for their care, and this is at a time when our usual fundraising channels have all but gone.”
On March 23 there will be a National Day of Reflection to commemorate those who have died since the first lockdown began.
For information on how to raise funds for Marie Curie, donate or set up a virtual collection, or join the Step into Spring Campaign, visit visit the the Wick campaign page at www.justgiving.com/campaign/mcwick or www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil or www.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved or contact vonnie.stevenson@mariecurie.org.uk
