On a crisp and beautiful September day, over a hundred people came together to walk for wards that are close to their hearts, raising over £11,744 to transform patient care at the Royal Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Hospitals.
From the starting line cheers to the joyful finishers gathering with their Walk for Wards medals, the atmosphere at Upton Country Park and House was incredible.
Previous patients walked for the NHS teams that changed their lives. Loved ones walked in appreciation of care and remembrance for those who are no longer with us and children led the way as part of their family day out.
Every penny raised will now go directly to supporting NHS services across University Hospitals Dorset. This ranges from Cancer Care, Theatres, Child Health, Maternity and many more services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole hospital sites.
Aurelia Chliwna, public fundraising officer for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, said: “Thanks to everyone who took part in Walk for Wards, as an NHS charity, we can help our hospitals go above and beyond for everyone who relies on our NHS teams. That means enhancing patient care, funding state-of-the-art equipment and bringing to life projects that truly make a difference. The kindness and enthusiasm of our Walk for Wards participants blew me away. We couldn’t have done it without you!”
A massive thank you to Hot Radio and Care South, who sponsored Walk for Wards 2025. It was a wonderful day.
Alan Smith, Commercial Director for Hot Radio, said: “We were pleased to support UHD because, as a local community radio station, it’s important to us to take an active role in supporting such a worthy local cause. The team at Hot Radio really look forward to taking part in Walk for Wards every year, and this year was no different. Our Hot Walkers represented us amazingly again, and we look forward to being there in 2026!”
Chris Golding, Head of Marketing and PR for Care South, said: “What a fabulous day it was. We had residents, their families, staff from our care homes and care at home teams and their families all taking part! Over the summer, our teams, which included residents, got ‘match fit’ by taking part in wellbeing, exercise programmes and daily walks.
“We recognise how our local hospitals play such an important role within our community and touch the lives of all of us at some point. So, Care South were delighted to support Walk for Wards, and we’re looking forward to next year’s event already!”
Future charity challenges and events are in the pipeline for those who wish to continue supporting their local hospitals throughout the year. This includes a tandem skydive, Mount Kilimanjaro trek or remembering those who have passed away at Light Up the Prom in February 2026.