Rotary Cambridge members visit Arthur Rank Hospice to see first hand how £22,800 donations help

Rotary Cambridge members switched from their usual meeting place at the Gonville Hotel in Cambridge to Arthur Rank Hospice Charity to see first-hand the work to which their fundraising has contributed.

The group has donated more than £22,800 over the years by organising everything from carol concerts to lunches and collections, and its members also volunteer at the Bridge the Gap charity walk and for the Christmas tree recycling scheme.

Yesterday (Tuesday), they toured the Shelford Bottom hospice, meeting those cared for and heard about the latest Bridge the Gap plans.

The charity walk on September 10, supported again by the Cambridge Independent, will aid the hospice and Romsey Mill and weave through

Downing, Darwin, Newnham, Selwyn, King’s and Emmanuel colleges and Ridley Hall, with refreshments and entertainment on Parker’s Piece.

Places are £20 per adult via arhc.org.uk/btg until midnight on September 6 and up to three under-16s can go free with each registered adult. Prices have been held at pre-pandemic levels to help with the cost of living crisis.

More than 500 people have already signed up - and numbers could swell to more than 1,300.

A treasure hunt, with a prize draw, will be charged at £3 per child.

Donna Talbot, communications and income generation director, at Arthur Rank said: “We greatly value the work of the Rotary. The contribution they make to our charity is significant and we can’t wait to see them at Bridge the Gap. The culmination of funds alongside the opportunity to speak at their events and meetings is paramount.

“Raising awareness of services we provide and explaining how our services have developed is essential in enabling people in our local community to better understand how we can help when they are living with an advanced illness or are nearing the end of life.

“The belief that hospice care is only available at the end of life is a misnomer, we are here for people much earlier in their diagnosis and this is where we can really help to improve a patient’s quality of life and ensure that their loved ones have the support they need.”

Visit cambridgerotary.org.uk for more, or to help the hospice, call 01223 675888 or visit arhc.org.uk.