Sponsored Walk Raises £2,500+ Well done to Greenbelt’s Oliver Andrews, part of a three-person team to raise over £2,500 for charity in a sponsored long-distance walking challenge. The trio - Oliver and teammates Emilien and Francesca - took part in the Dodentocht. This is an annual event held in the Antwerp province of Belgium each August; a celebration of walking in the form of a gruelling endurance race that attracts around 13,000 entrants.Greenbelt are very proud to have contributed £300 to the total raised, helping smash the group’s preliminary target of £1,500.The money goes to St Columba’s Hospice, a palliative care facility based in Edinburgh and the Lothians which offers dedicated care and support to those affected by terminal illnesses and their families, as well as centres for research and education.“Thank you all very much for your donations,” said the walking team in a joint statement. “The incredible care and support provided by St Columba’s is brought into stark contrast following the terminal diagnosis that our friend Stewart received and that he, his wife and kids are living with.“Every donation is massively appreciated and directly helps provide services for families. The money goes a long way for St Columba’s, who continue to provide phenomenal support.”“St Columba’s exists to give everyone who needs it the very best Hospice care. We couldn’t do it without our amazing supporters,” said a spokesperson from St Columba’s hospice.“The generosity of our community of supporters directly helps us to maintain our invaluable services. 85p of every £1 is spent directly on patient care, with the other 15p going towards raising the next £1.”Created in 1970, the Dodentocht (Dutch for “March of the Dead”) ordinarily challenges participants to walk 100km (around 62 miles) in 24 hours or less - though intervention from the Belgian government around the recent heatwave conditions reduced this to around 64km (or 40 miles) in 16 hours or less, due to health and safety considerations.Despite the challenging requirements, the Dodentocht motto is “walking for a better world” - something Oli, Emi and Chesca certainly achieved in raising these funds.To read more about the charity fundraisers, community fetes and other local events and worthy causes Greenbelt is proud to support, please visit our My Community section. Previous article: Queen Elizabeth II Prev Next article: Congratulations Tony Benger Landscaping Next