Fundraising Update

For Scleroderma Awareness Month we launched a Virtual Relay Walk. Scleroderma associations all over the world have been organising annual walking events, and this year we had to do things a bit differently. We launched the Virtual Relay Walk inspired by the efforts of Una Gillespie. The format was straightforward – do your walk your way, whether it’s two steps in your house, 10 in your garden or 10,000 in your local area – everyone has different challenges to overcome. You could walk alone, with members of your household or with friends at a social distance. Once your walk was completed you passed the baton on – nominating friends, family or colleagues. We can all walk together even though we are apart. The virtual relay walk was launched in June but it isn’t over – with the promise of some nice weather, you can still organise a walk. Help us reach our goal and raise £19,000 for the 19,000 people in the UK currently diagnosed with Scleroderma. Una’s story During May, Una Gillespie walked 10km around the perimeter of her house every Saturday for four weeks. She was diagnosed with diffuse Scleroderma five years ago which affects her skin and internal organs including her lungs – so this really was a challenge for Una. She was motivated to keep going by her goal of helping us to fund research, information and support – with the particular aim of setting up a support group in Northern Ireland where she lives and has found that there is currently a lack of support. Una smashed her original £250 target and raised over £6,385. Her employer Taranto Ltd was especially supportive and donated £1,550, which is amazing and so vital to us. Una also recruited friends and family across the world to walk virtually with her and this inspired us to pick up the baton and keep the walking going with the SRUK Virtual Relay Walk.

Thank you Walkers so far to everyone Sara McAreavey walked 10km and raised £420. that has signed up Our youngest walker, Edward aged eight, walked 110km over three weeks and or already walked, raised £160. here are some of those who have taken up the Daniela Coppola kept the baton going with her walk and raised £555. A brilliant effort from you all. baton: Our cover girls in this edition of SRUK NEWS are fundraising friends Emily and Zoe, who completed their own sponsored walk through Hangers Way in Hampshire. Their fundraising was inspired by Zoe’s mother who was diagnosed two years ago and Emily’s younger sister who has been living with the condition for three years now. They smashed their fundraising target of £1,200 and raised over £2,738 – congratulations to Emily and Zoe! Home Fundraising Ideas Quiz crazy – All across the country people have been organising virtual quizzes with friends, family and colleagues. We have a handy pack with tips for making this a success, and we even have questions and answers all ready for you to use at your event. As social distancing rules start to change you can even combine face-to-face and online guests together! Whodunnit? As people start to look for alternatives to the quiz night, we have put together all you need to host a virtual Murder Mystery night – put your sleuthing skills to the test and raise funds for SRUK. Summer parties – You could host your very own summer festival, Last Night of the Proms celebration or a socially distanced picnic – whether you invite your friends or re-capture the neighbourhood spirit and hold a street front/back garden festival. You can have tents, nibbles and fun whilst still sticking to the guidelines and raising funds.

Jacob and Callum

For more information or to get involved, please contact our team by emailing fundraising@sruk.co.uk or calling us on 020 3893 5993. Alternatively, please visit sruk.co.uk/getinvolved/