National healthcare charity Sue Ryder is thanking people across Bedfordshire who walked, jogged or ran 5k every day in December and helped reach a fundraising total of more than £100,000.
The December Daily Dash challenge was started in 2015 by husband and wife Jackie and Mark Smith, after Jackie’s dad, Mike, received care from a Sue Ryder hospice. In the first year 13 people signed up to take part, raising £5,000.
Since then the festive fundraiser has continued to grow in popularity and over 800 people in the UK and across the world took part in 2021, raising more than £100,000 to support the charity’s vital palliative, neurological and bereavement support services.
Dash founders Jackie and Mark said: “A huge well done and thank you to everyone who pulled on their trainers and braved the unpredictable winter weather every day in December. After another challenging year in the wake of the pandemic, it was a great reminder of all that is good about the challenge – creating a daily habit to get moving, seeing friends, having fun and making memories.
“We have loved seeing all of the pictures and videos on social media and hearing about how people have enjoyed the sense of achievement that those 31 days of running and walking brings. Thank you for all your support and we hope to see everyone back at the end of 2022!”
Lindsay O’Kane was one of the people who took on the December Daily Dash to support Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Bedfordshire. This was the fifth year in a row that Lindsay, who lives in Milton Keynes, laced up her trainers and ran or jogged 5k every day in December. She was inspired to support the Moggerhanger hospice in memory of her grandmother, who was cared for there in 2012.
Lindsay raised approximately £500 through her 2021 December Daily Dash. To date, she has raised a total of more than £3,000 for Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice – through activities such as the Dash and also running the London Marathon in 2019.
Lindsay said: “My 2021 Dash was a little eventful – I had to self-isolate for three days in December and ended up doing lots and lots of laps of my garden! For the remaining 28 days though, I was able to get out for a run in my local area which has lots of lovely green spaces and lakes. I did my final run on December 31, 2021, while we were away on holiday in Devon and it was blowing a gale! I managed to complete it though and felt a real sense of achievement. I love doing the December Daily Dash. It’s just brilliant to have a reason to go out every day in December, it really keeps you motivated.”
She added: “My grandma volunteered for Sue Ryder for many years, in the charity’s shop in Huntingdon. My mum (her daughter) became poorly and with the help of my sister, we all looked after her together. Very sadly, only a couple of years after my mum died, my grandma became poorly too. She was cared for at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in her last few weeks. I support Sue Ryder because they cared for my grandma so well in her final days. I also want to keep supporting the charity in her memory – she volunteered for so many years and Sue Ryder was a big part of her life. I see this as a way of continuing the support for something she believed in.”
Caroline Graham, Director of Fundraising at Sue Ryder, said: “We know that December can be an incredibly difficult month for many, and taking part in the December Daily Dash provides a great way for people to take some time out, to think and reflect whilst raising money for families needing our care.
“I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to each and every person who completed the December Daily Dash 2021 in support of Sue Ryder. For every step you took and pound you’ve raised you’re helping us continue to be there when it matters most.”
Sue Ryder organises a wide range of national and regional events throughout the year to raise crucial funds and provide more care for more people. To see the full event calendar and find your next challenge, visit: sueryder.org/events
