General Event Information:
Date: Saturday 8 June 2024
Time: The 20 mile walk starts at 8pm with the 2, 7 and 13 mile walks starting from 10pm. See below for specific details about what time to arrive at the Registration point.
Venue: The Bridge Leisure Centre, Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, RH12 3YS
What are the routes? Download the routes for the Midnight Walk 2024: 2 mile route, 7 mile route, 13 mile route, 20 mile route. You can also use these Google maps on your mobile phone on the night.
Where does the route go? The Midnight Walk is a walk through the streets of Horsham. You can find the 2 mile, 7 mile, 13 mile and 20 mile route maps on our website. We have added additional lighting this year but some of the route could be quite dark, so please bring a torch with you on the night. The route is fully marshalled.
Can I drop out? If you can’t take part in the walk, please call the Events Team on 01293 447361 as soon as you can. Please do not give your place away to anybody else. If you need to drop out on the night, please make your way to the nearest Route Guide so they can arrange transport back to The Bridge Leisure Centre.
Fundraising:
Do I have to raise sponsorship money? Walkers who raise £350 or over by Friday 5 July will be eligible for an exclusive Midnight Walk gift as well as an invitation to our Thank You party, so we hope our walkers will fundraise what you can for us. We ask that walkers aim to fundraise £50 minimum where they can.
The walk relies on your sponsorship to be successful. Each entrant is asked to raise sponsorship in addition to their entry fee for St Catherine’s Hospice.
How should I raise my sponsorship money?
The easiest way to raise donations is by setting up a fundraising page using JustGiving. An online page allows your family and friends to sponsor you, wherever they live, and saves you having to collect money. You can also post the link on your social media, keep all your supporters updated with your training, and add pictures too.
Using our link, your page will already be linked to St Catherine’s and the Midnight Walk so all you need to do is enter your own details.
You can also raise funds offline if you wish. We have sponsorship forms and a range of other fundraising materials we can send to you if needed.
If you need any help with your fundraising, please call us on 01293 447361 or email fundraising@stch.org.uk.
How do I send my money in?
If you are using a JustGiving page, all donations will be made to St Catherine’s automatically and there’s nothing you need to do.
You can pay in any donations not raised on JustGiving by calling us on 01293 447361 or by sending a cheque directly to: Midnight Walk, St Catherine’s Hospice, Grace Holland Avenue, Pease Pottage, West Sussex, RH11 9SF. Please make cheques payable to: St Catherine’s Hospice.
Can I Gift Aid my donation? You can ask each person that sponsors you to Gift Aid their donation by ticking the Gift Aid box on your sponsor form, if they are a UK taxpayer or pay Capital Gains Tax. For every £1 they donate, we receive an extra 25p.
How do I get the exclusive Midnight Walk gift?
IF YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL WALKER:
If you fundraise £350 or over and get it into us by 5 July, you will get an invitation to our Thank You party in August, as well as a unique Midnight Walk sweatshirt with a brand new design for 2024.
If you are walking in-memory of someone, you will get to choose between the sweatshirt, or one of our personalised copper Memory Leaves, which can be engraved as a keepsake with your loved one’s name to celebrate your wonderful achievement in their memory.
IF YOU ARE PART OF A TEAM:
One Midnight Walk sweatshirt will be awarded for every £350 a team raises, e.g. if a team raises £1,000 they will receive 2 x sweatshirts.
If your team are walking in-memory of someone, your team will have the choice between the sweatshirts, or a personalised copper Memory Leaf. Should your team choose a personalised copper Memory Leaf, 1 x Memory Leaf will be awarded per team. Regrettably we cannot offer teams a mix of both sweatshirts and a Memory Leaf.
Before the event:
How will I receive my walker number? Every walker will need to wear a walker number on the night. Walker numbers will be distributed in the post from the beginning of May, approximately one month before the event. If you do not receive your walker number in the post one week before the event, please give us a call on 01293 447361.
How do I collect my free t-shirt? You will be able to collect your t-shirt and other merchandise at one of our t-shirt collection dates:
- Tuesday 14 May, 5pm to 7pm at St Catherine’s Hospice Furniture Store, Unit 17, Denvale Trade Park, Haslett Avenue East, Crawley, RH10 1SS
- Thursday 23 May, 12 noon to 1.30pm and 3pm to 5pm at St Catherine’s Hospice Shop Horsham, 15 Carfax, Horsham, RH12 1ER
- Tuesday 28 May, 5pm to 7pm at The Bridge Leisure Centre, Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, RH12 3YS
- Thursday 30 May, 12 noon to 1.30pm and 3pm to 5pm at St Catherine’s Hospice Shop East Grinstead [new address TBC]
If for any reason you are unable to make these, you will be able to collect them on the night.
If I already have a Midnight Walk t-shirt from a previous year, can I re-use it? We’re glad to welcome back our seasoned walkers! Yes, if you have an orange Midnight Walk t-shirt from either 2022 or 2023, we encourage you to re–wear this and support our pledge to be more sustainable. Our most recent Midnight Walk orange t-shirts are not dated, meaning we are able to make savings purchasing more t-shirts, and of course, means we are all doing our bit for the planet! Of course, as a registered walker, you are more than welcome to collect a new t-shirt should you want to change your dedication on the back.
Can I collect a friend’s t-shirt? Yes of course, just bring a copy of their confirmation email along with you.
Where can I buy other merchandise? We would love you to go all out for the Midnight Walk. Why not make a statement with a Midnight Walk jacket, bag or bright orange tutu!
Visit our online Midnight Walk shop. With jackets, leggings and shorts, we have a range of products to help you look the part.
You will also be able to purchase our glow-in-the-dark accessories and merchandise from our t-shirt collections, from our shops, and on the night.
Finally, our 14 charity shops across Sussex and Surrey are also a great place to look for something to wear!
On the night:
Where is the registration point? Registration is at The Bridge Leisure Centre, Horsham RH12 3YS
What time do I need to register?
2, 7 and 13 mile registration will take place from 8.45pm to 9.45pm at The Bridge Leisure Centre, Broadbridge Heath. To avoid crowds, walkers will start in waves from 10pm.
20 mile registration will take place from 7.00pm to 7.45pm at The Bridge Leisure Centre, Broadbridge Heath. The walk will start at 8.00pm to ensure you finish with all the other walkers.
What if I have signed up as a team? If you have signed up as a team, then your team captain will need to sign everyone in on the night. The team registration desk will be clearly sign posted and separate to the main registration desks.
How long is the route? You can choose between a 20, 13, 7, 2 mile route.
Will there be first aid facilities? Yes, qualified first aiders will be at the event.
Will it be safe? Your safety is of the utmost importance to us. The event has been organised in conjunction with local authorities and the route will be well marshalled by volunteers. An end walker will also follow the last walkers to ensure that nobody is left behind. All walkers will sign in and out on the night and confirm their contact number on the night to make sure everyone is safe. Please ensure your phone is fully charged on the night.
How long will it take? People of all fitness levels take part in this event. For those taking on the 7 mile route, fit walkers can expect to finish in one and a half hours. For those taking on 13 miles, it will take approximately three and a half hours for a fit walker. If you decide to take on the 20 mile route, a fit walker will complete it in around five hours. There is no rush and we encourage walkers to go at their own pace. There will be lead walkers, as well as people at the rear of the walk to ensure the last participants return safely.
What do I need to take with me? To make sure you are safe we recommend you carry the following items:
- A fully charged mobile phone
- Plenty of water
- Plenty of energy supplying snacks
- Torch!
- Hand sanitiser – to use after coming in to contact with public gates/ handrails
- Method of payment if you need more water/ snacks or a taxi home
- Water-proof coat/ jacket
- Photos of your loved one for the memory wall
Will there be toilets on the night? Yes! There will be plenty of toilets at the registration point – you can use these before the start and at the end of the walk. There will be additional toilets along the route at the refreshment stops.
Do I need to be fit? You can walk at your own pace, whatever your fitness level, but we do recommend that you should train before taking part in the walk, especially if you’re taking on the longer route.
What if I don’t want to walk, how can I be involved on the night? We are always looking for volunteers – without volunteers, we couldn’t put on the event! There are lots of different roles to get involved with on the night, including base roles at the start and route guides. Find out more about volunteering and how you can get involved on our website. We will always pair people up so you will never be on your own – it’s a perfect opportunity to get your friends involved too!
Will there be any refreshments? Once you have completed this amazing challenge, you will be greeted with your finisher’s breakfast roll and a glass of fizz! Refreshments will also be available on the route to keep your energy levels up, these will be marked on the map so please do make use of them. If you do have any specific dietary requirements, please let us know on events@stch.org.uk.
Can I bring my dog? For safety reasons no dogs or other pets are permitted at the Midnight Walk, except for registered assistance dogs. If you have any further questions or need to discuss your requirements in advance, please contact events@stch.org.uk or 01293 447361.
Do I need special footwear or clothing? We recommend that you wear comfortable clothing and well-fitting footwear such as trainers or walking boots.
Will there be parking on the night? Yes, car parking is available near the start of the route. There is parking available at The Bridge Leisure Centre, Broadbridge Heath and at Tesco Broadbridge Heath.
Will there be lockers/ storage facilities to leave things? Unfortunately, there are no lockers or storage facilities available for this event, so we’d advise that you don’t bring anything more than you can comfortably carry. We recommend either using a backpack or bumbag.
Will it go ahead if it’s raining? Yes! As the British weather is notoriously unpredictable, please do keep an eye on the weather forecast and come dressed in suitable clothing. The walk will only be cancelled if we think it will be too dangerous for you to take part. In the rare occurrence that this is the case, we will contact you by phone and email as soon as we know the event is cancelled.
I’m walking in-memory of someone. Will there be an opportunity for reflection at all? We want to make sure those walking in-memory of someone special have the opportunity to remember their loved one. We will have our memory wall up in the hall at the start, where we invite you to write a message or pin up any photographs of your loved one. This year, we will also have a dedicated Reflective Space on the route at Horsham Park Barn, where you can light a lantern, take a moment to reflect and remember the amazing thing you are doing for your loved one.
I can’t find the answer to my question? If your question has not been answered, you can email us at events@stch.org.uk or call on 01293 447361.
We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Midnight Walk.
