A Viking Walk to
Remember: Pippa’s Fun-filled Fundraising

Last year, Pippa Curtin embarked on a poignant journey along the Viking Way in memory of her late husband, Danny. Danny, who passed away after a courageous battle with lung cancer, had spent his final days at Lindsey Lodge Hospice.

Pippa fondly recalls Danny’s time at Lindsey Lodge, where he found comfort, laughter, and a sense of belonging. He had stayed with us previously when our team helped him to manage his symptoms, so by the time he came in for end of life care Danny and is family felt at home in the Hospice surroundings. His infectious humour and ability to brighten the day of others made him a beloved figure among the hospice staff.

Pippa recalls a specific day, “Danny had joked with the nurses that he should host a talent show for the Lindsey Lodge staff and volunteers. This was followed with various members of the team popping into his room offering to come and audition for his up and coming talent show. We had lots of giggles with the team that day and that was Danny, he was never happier than when he was making people smile.”

Inspired by Danny’s spirit and the care he received at Lindsey Lodge, Pippa decided to take on the Viking Way as a fundraising challenge. More than just a physical feat, the walk was a way for Pippa to honour her husband and give back to the hospice that had supported them. Walking challenges was something they had done together before, so this felt like the right challenge for Pippa to take on.

With a goal of raising significantly more than the required £150, Pippa organised a unique fundraising event she called a “FUNdraiser.” Drawing inspiration from Danny’s love of laughter and fun, Pippa planned a night filled with games, entertainment, and camaraderie.

The FUNdraiser, held at Pippa and Danny’s local pub, The Thatch Inn in Broughton, was a resounding success. With the support of friends and the community, Pippa raised over £1000. The event was so well-received that Pippa then put on a second event, a pub quiz which raised a further £500.

“I wanted to do more than just ask people for sponsorship,” Pippa explained. “The FUNdraiser allowed my supporters to feel like they were contributing to something meaningful while having a great time and getting a little something back for their donation. It was more work, but it was also more fun and we raised so much more than we would have with a sponsorship ask. It was a way to honour Danny and make a difference.”

“The idea was all around bringing people together and having fun in memory of Danny, and because we had talked about it together it felt a little bit like he was involved and helping too. The fun games and entertainment are all linked to who he was as a person, and I think he would have liked that. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends, they helped me plan, source prizes and helped run things on the night”

Pippa and her friends raised an amazing £3,143.50 In total in memory of Danny Curtin.

Pippa’s local community are keen for the events to continue so she has signed up to walk the second leg of the Viking Way with us next year. Are you inspired to hold your own FUNdraising event for Lindsey Lodge? We asked Pippa for her top tips to share with you.

1. Give yourself plenty of planning time. The Viking Way is an annual challenge which helps with the planning.
2. Get a good team around you, lots of people doing little bits is very helpful and takes off the pressure.
3. When sourcing prizes, think about how best to use them. We managed to get some amazing prizes donated that were too good for a raffle, so we built a different game around them which helped to raise even more money.
4. Most of all, whatever you do make sure you enjoy it. Build your event around something you would want to do so you can have fun too.