CHARITY champs raised £4,000 after hot-footing it across burning embers for a South Tyneside hospice.
About 40 people took part in the latest Firewalk Challenge at Primrose Community Centre in Jarrow.
After a motivational training session, fundraisers walked 20ft across burning wood embers in aid of St Clare’s Hospice, which needs to raise almost £2m each year to continue caring for patients with terminal illnesses.
Last Friday’s charity special was the third time people, some with close emotional ties with the hospice, in Primrose Terrace, Jarrow, have taken part in the event.
Senior hospice fundraiser Vanessa Mustard-Wright said: “We were immensely proud of all of our firewalkers for taking part. It was a brilliant night and everyone was so happy that they had been able to face a fear and take on something they wouldn’t normally do in aid of St Clare’s.
“We must thank Primrose CC for their assistance and use of the venue, St John Ambulance and Blaze Firewalking Ltd.”
Charity firewalker Lisa Hardy, her brother, Steven, plus friends Michelle Joyce and Tracey Suggitt all had special reasons for taking part.
Lisa said: “We have lost a lot of family and friends due to illnesses like cancer. It’s also 20 years since our dad passed away due to cancer and we wanted to do something positive in his memory.
“So my brother and I, together with Tracey and Michelle, whose gran was in St Clare’s, decided we wanted to do something to help our local hospice.
“The firewalk caught our eye, and we decided to go for it. We’ve got nearly £700 so far, but altogether we were aiming for £1,000.
“We’d like to thank everyone who sponsored us to take part. We are still buzzing with energy from having taken part.
“I’m also looking forward to taking part in the Tyne Bridge Zip Slide in May as part of my fundraising for St Clare’s.”
The hospice zip slide event will take place on Sunday, May 12, with places costing £12.
For more information, call 451 6400, e-mail fundraising@stclareshospice.co.uk, visit www.stclareshospice.co.uk or text ZIP or FIRE to 81400 for more details.
Twitter: @terrykelly16
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