A popular memory walk which raises money for two dementia organisations in south Suffolk will return for its fourth year at the end of next month.
Last year, the Sudbury Memory Walk saw 168 participants of all ages take part in memory of all those families living with or who have lost someone to dementia.
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, May 25, and has been moved from its usual October berth to tie in with the national Dementia Action Week and the first Move Suffolk Week – aiming to get people in the county active.
The Abbeycroft Leisure-organised event will start and finish at Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury and there are half-a-mile, 1-mile, 3-mile and 5-mile routes available.
The half-a-mile route was added to encourage families living with dementia to join the walk with their loved ones, and seats will be available along the route as well as a rest station at the quarter-of-a-mile distance.
The first walk, which takes participants along the beautiful Stour Valley Trail, will begin at 11am, with other walks starting at staggered times.
The Memory Walk was originally inspired by 71-year-old Jerry Thatcher – a community volunteer who is part of the support team for the event, alongside Care UK, the Bridge Project and Babergh District Council.
Although the walk is a free event, donations are gratefully received and all proceeds will be divided between Decaf, which is a memory café in Sudbury, and Hadleigh Dementia Action Alliance.
Explaining the date change, Lisa Dagnall, Abbeycroft’s events manager, said: “We thought it would be a great opportunity to move the date of the walk to tie in with both national Dementia Action Week which promotes taking actions to improve the lives of those living with Dementia, as well as coinciding with the first ‘Move Suffolk Week’ which aims to get people moving.”
Jonathan Seed, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council’s corporate manager for health and wellbeing, said: “The response we’ve had to the Sudbury Memory Walk over the past four years from individuals, businesses and charities has been amazing, and shows the depth of support for organisations supporting those with dementia in our area.
“It’s a beautiful walk for a wonderful cause, and I’m sure the people of Sudbury will embrace this year’s memory walk just as they have over the previous years.”
Registration is now open for the Sudbury Memory Walk here and people can donate here.
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