The toast of the coast – our Jurassic Coast Challengers raise £25,000 for Weldmar

27th September 2021

It was Weldmar’s first fundraising event since the Frosty 5k in January 2020 – the return of the popular Jurassic Coast Challenge, which has raised almost £25,000 for the charity.

Almost eighty people took up the challenge, which had to be cancelled last year do to the Covid-19 pandemic, walking from either Durdle Door or Worth Matravers and finishing at Studland – distances of 26 and 13 miles respectively.

Positive but emotional day

Organiser Alaine Harman, from Weldmar’s fundraising team, said, “It’s been so good to have a fundraising event back in the calendar, and we were lucky enough to have the perfect day for walking along Dorset’s beautiful coastline. It can be tough going but the atmosphere has been really positive. It’s been an emotional day for many people who have completed the challenge in memory of a loved one. Well done to everyone who has helped us raise a terrific total. This will help us to continue providing specialist end of life care to anyone with a life limiting illness in Dorset, and ongoing support for their families.”

Janet Dwan, and her daughter Rachel (pictured together), walked in memory of Janet’s sister, Julie. Moments after crossing the finish line Rachel told us, “I feel overwhelmed, emotional, fantastic, and on the top of the world. At Swanage I thought I might not make it, but I put some blister plasters on and I was all good – I could do it again!”

Janet added, “I really, really enjoyed it, but it was a lot harder than I ever imaged it would be. We did it! It was meant to be last year to mark the tenth anniversary since Julie passed away at the hospice.”

“Julie was there in August,” says Janet, “and the weather was really lovely. It meant so much to her, and to all of us, that her bed could be taken outside into the garden so that she could enjoy the sunshine and the flowers.”

“It felt like she wasn’t just waiting to die”, says Rachel, “Weldmar made it feel so much better that that”.