Hundreds stride out on Starlight Walk (From This Is Wiltshire)

Hundreds stride out on Starlight Walk

9:20am Monday 29th June 2009

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A SEA of lime green T-shirts flooded Swindon as the Prospect Hospice’s Starlight Walk got under way.

More than 650 women donned their trainers for the 10km charity amble, many walking in memory of loved ones who spent their last days at the Wroughton hospice.

Among them was brave Paul Brown who donned a mini-skirt, stockings and brunette wig for the ‘women only’ walk.

Paul from Witts Lane in Purton, raised more than £300 in sponsorship for the event, which he completed in memory of his partner Debbie New.

Debbie, 49, died at Prospect Hospice in October last year, three days before the couple were due to marry.

“We’d been together for 23 years and she was a wonderful woman,” said Paul, 39.

“We’d planned everything ready for our wedding at the hospice but she slipped away on the Friday, she just couldn’t hold on anymore.

“It’s been a painful time but I really wanted to do the walk for Debbie – so here I am looking the part.”

Leading a gaggle of friends in the walk was Lynne Ridge and daughters Ellie, 17, and Sophie, 20.

Lynne lost husband Steve to bowel cancer in April this year.

Steve, 59, had been director of adult education for 25 years at New College, where the event kicked off at 9pm on Saturday.

Lynne, from St Andrews Ridge, north Swindon, said: “Prospect did such a wonderful job looking after Steve and the care and compassion I received was second to none.

“We are so lucky to have something like that here in Swindon so we wanted to make sure we got involved in the fundraising to give something back.”

Last year’s event raised £60,000 for Prospect, a sum organisers are hoping to match this year.

Sheryl Crouch, the hospice’s fundraising manager, said: “There are just so many people getting involved this year that we hope that if we don’t exceed our total for last year we certainly match it.

“Judging by the effort everyone has gone to, I’m sure we will.”

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