To Buckingham Palace and back Home Instead
Home Instead St Helens Goes the Extra Mile for Dementia Action Week
At Home Instead St Helens, supporting people living with dementia is at the heart of what we do every day. To mark Dementia Action Week, our team took on an ambitious challenge: to virtually walk and cycle 377.4 miles, the equivalent distance from our St Helens office to Buckingham Palace and back again.
This was much more than a fitness challenge. It was an opportunity to raise awareness of dementia, a condition that affects so many of our clients, their families, friends, and colleagues. Dementia touches the lives of countless people, and together we wanted to show our support while raising much-needed funds for the Alzheimer’s Society and set up a ‘Just Giving’ page.
The challenge quickly brought our team together, with everyone finding creative ways to contribute. Team members clocked up miles by walking their dogs, choosing to walk between client visits instead of taking the bus, using the office treadmill, and tracking their daily steps wherever they could.
The results were incredible from the very start. By the end of the first day, the team had collectively achieved 157,427 steps, covering an impressive 69.5 miles, almost reaching Wolverhampton. Momentum continued to build, and by the end of day two, we had recorded a remarkable 392,645 steps, leaving us just 15.5 miles short of Buckingham Palace.
As news of the challenge spread, support came from far beyond our team. One client’s family organised a golf tournament to help boost fundraising efforts, while others took their dogs on extra-long walks to add more miles to the total. The challenge became a real community effort, with everyone determined to help us reach our goal.
But reaching Buckingham Palace and making the return journey to St Helens wasn’t enough. The enthusiasm and commitment from everyone involved saw us go far beyond our original target.
Between 19th and 25th May, the Home Instead St Helens team achieved something truly extraordinary. Together, we:
- Walked over 1 million steps
- Covered enough distance to travel virtually from St Andrews in Scotland to Land’s End
- Raised a fantastic amount of money for the Alzheimer’s Society
- Increased awareness of dementia throughout our local community
Most importantly, we demonstrated what can be achieved when people come together for a cause that matters.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who took part, donated, encouraged us, or supported the challenge in any way. Your enthusiasm, generosity, and determination helped make this an unforgettable achievement.
Dementia affects us all, and together we can continue to take steps, both big and small, towards greater awareness, understanding, and support for those living with the condition.
Thank you for helping Home Instead St Helens go the extra mile for Dementia Action Week. 💜