MORE than 230 people took part in a night-time charity walk in Cornwall to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) which runs the Little Harbour children’s hospice at St Austell.

The charity’s annual Moonlight Memory Walk, which took place at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey, raised more than £28,000.

Participants, many wearing handwritten dedications to loved ones, joined a special memory ceremony, where dedications were played on screen. They listened to poems read by Hannah Blackett, a bereaved mother who was supported by Little Harbour, and a performance from St Mewan Community Choir. This was followed by a one-minute applause and silence.

The walk featured places to stop and remember loved ones, where participants could mark their memory by lighting a candle, picking a charm for a keyring, leaving a name and message for their loved one in a book, and leaving a fingerprint on a canvas.

CHSW events fundraiser Kiley Pearce said: “We would like to thank our participants, many of whom have attended the Moonlight Memory Walk for the last 15 years. The evening had a real balance of being emotional, but also being uplifting, and we encouraged our walkers to think about the magical moments they had with their loved ones and share these memories.

“Thank you to St Mewan Community Choir and Toby Davies for singing and creating a beautiful atmosphere, and to the Cornish Oven for providing pasties at the finish line.”

Little Harbour provides free support to children with life-limiting illnesses and their families, including respite, palliative care, end of life care and bereavement support. The hospice also offers resilience stays, as well as support in families’ own homes.

The Moonlight Memory Walk was sponsored by CHX products, Stephens Scown Solicitors and Toad Hall Cottages as well as being supported by CTC Medical Services and the Cornish Oven.