Community Activities
Kelly Smith from Ashdown Funeral Services in Belvedere took part in a national fundraising initiative in memory of her brother Leo, who passed away due to liver cancer in 2016, walking 200 miles across March for Walk all over Cancer by Cancer Research, doubling the challenge’s requirements.
She changed her daily life by walking to and from work, taking one hour and 15 minutes each way, and walking to see colleagues and friends instead of calling them, to reach her personal target.
Kelly said: “I walk a lot in my day-to-day life so thought 10,000 steps wouldn’t be challenging enough for me. I’ve therefore pushed myself to walk roughly 20,000 steps per day to reach 200 miles across March in total and have actually exceeded that number of steps nearly every day so far.”
Funeral Partners’ Bexley Hub Manager Tracey Still suggested Walk All over Cancer to local branches after being inspired by her close friends Julie Still and Cherrie Tadman, who passed away due to breast cancer in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Kelly and Tracey created a Cancer Research Fundraising team after Clare Cornwall and Jade Walker, Funeral Arrangers at Ashdown’s Sidcup and Bexley branches respectively, joined the challenge.
The team raised a total of £730.00 plus £166.25 gift aid from their fundraising pages and sponsor forms with Kelly alone walking an impressive total of 302 miles during the month.
Tracey said: “Everyone on the team has Fitbits, so it was easy to keep sponsors updated on Kelly’s 20,000 steps and our 10,000 steps a day.
“We’ve all changed our daily lives in different ways to meet the goal. Clare and Jade have been taking their dogs for longer walks and I’ve been using the stairs more to speak to staff rather than dialling internally.”