St Nicholas Hospice Care’s Sunset Walk around Bury St Edmunds to return for a second year

A charity’s evening walking event which raised more than £120,000 will return for a second year.

Registrations are now open for St Nicholas Hospice Care’s Sunset Walk, which will take place on Saturday, June 21.

In its debut year, 1,000 walkers took to the streets of Bury St Edmunds to support the hospice’s work across West Suffolk and Thetford.

The event, which has 10 and 15 kilometre routes, will start and finish in the Abbey Gardens and will again be sponsored by Greene King.

The charity is encouraging supporters to sign up in advance with its early bird offer – which runs until April 24 – where participants can take part at a reduced rate of £13.50 for adults and £8 for children (ages five to 17). Children under five go free.

Charlie De-Moore, the hospice’s event manager, said: “We were absolutely blown away by the incredible support for last year’s Sunset Walk – it was a truly special evening, filled with remembrance, joy, and community spirit.

“We can’t wait to do it all again in 2025 – and we’d love even more people to join us. By signing up and raising funds, you’ll be making a real difference to those facing dying, death, and grief. So gather your friends, family, and colleagues and let’s make this year’s Sunset Walk even better.”

The event promises to be more than just a walk ,with its festival atmosphere of music and entertainment and even a selfie station. Participants are encouraged to arrive early, before the 6pm start time, to enjoy the refreshments and fund a warm-up session.

Graham Briggs, social lead at Greene King, said: "Following the amazing success of last year's first Sunset Walk, we're delighted to sponsor the event again this year.

“At Greene King, we're passionate about supporting our local communities, especially here in our hometown of Bury St Edmunds.

“St Nic’s provides such incredible support to patients and their families through really tough times with so much care and respect, and it's a cause that's close to the hearts of so many people in the town.”

Along the route will be music zones to keep the energy high as well as quiet moments for reflection where walkers can remember who they’re taking part for.

St Nicholas Hospice Care costs £22,000 a day to run and only has a small amount of income from statutory sources, making events the Sunset Walk even more vital to fund its work.

Visit www.stnh.org.uk/sunset-walk