Laurence’s lasting wish to raise money for charity

News and Blog

This Saturday (3 May), Kit Bradshaw and a large group of his family and friends will be walking the North Downs Way in memory of Kit’s husband Laurence Wilson-Bradshaw.

The group, of between 50 and 70 walkers, are hoping to raise around £5,000 for our hospice after we supported Laurence at home and with hospice care in the final months of his life.

Laurence died of bowel cancer at just 31 years old in June 2022 – three years after being diagnosed and just 250 days after he and Kit got married.

Kit said, “Laurence was so many things – amazing, thoughtful, funny, silly, beautiful and selfless. Before he died he told me he had a wish. A wish that each year his family and friends would come together to raise money for charity in his memory.”

Kit and Laurence’s family and friends have fulfilled his wish by taking on annual challenges that they’ve called ‘For The Love of Laurence.’ And their fundraising has already raised more than £20,000 for charities supporting people living with cancer.

“Laurence’s wish – to get us all to come together – has turned into an annual celebration of his life and an opportunity for us all to remember everything that made him such a special person” said Kit.

This year will be the group’s third event and will see them setting off from Laurence’s hometown of Guildford and walking to Dorking.

“Laurence worked in charity fundraising and did fundraising himself,” explained Kit, “so he knew the importance of raising money. It felt fitting to support St Catherine’s this year as it’s where Laurence spent his final few days and where I said my final goodbye. Before that, the St Catherine’s team visited Laurence at home. And after his death, they supported me with counselling sessions. I hope people will donate as much as they can, to help St Catherine’s continue supporting and caring for other people facing the end of their lives.”

To support Kit and his family and friends in their For the Love of Laurence walk please visit: www.justgiving.com/page/for-the-love-of-laurence-2025