The Hospices in Woking and Weybridge are here today because in Woking the local community spent five years raising money for one to be built. In Weybridge the community fought hard to ensure that Sam Beare Hospice continued to offer a palliative care service to the people of North Surrey.

As demand for the expert specialist care provided reaches an all time high, the Hospices income has been hit by economic pressures way beyond their control.

Therefore on the 9th October 2009 they part suspended their day care facilities at both Hospices. All other care services have continued and they will still carry out procedures to day care patients such as blood transfusions and administering intravenous medication.

The Hospice launched an emergency appeal to raise £2.4million in 12 months. It is an enormous amount of money in very little time. The desperate reality is that they need to raise the first £600,000 by the end of December 2009 to ensure they do not have to suspend any more vital services and also safeguard other aspects their vital work.

The Steps2Everest team are helping the hospice in their emergency appeal and are working hard in their fundraising efforts.

]]> It's been a long time in the making but the Steps2Everest team has now been finalised and are already preparing for the expedition and fundraising for the charities.

The team consists of (alphabetical order) and can be viewed on the team page.

Aaron Dalchow - London
Alec Rahman-Jones - London
Alex O'Malley - Cranleigh
Cameron Waite - Woking
Luke Austin - Dorking
Luke Warner - Woking
Matthew Stansfield - Hersham
Natasha Charity - Staines
Robert Birks - Reading
Sophie Clark - Sunbury on Thames
Thomas Armstrong - Kingston Upon Thames

The team will be undergoing some strenuous training days before departure and will also be doing numerous fundraising events, including shaving their heads, doing The Grim Challenge, putting on music events, compiling business directory cards for local businesses and much more.

If you are a company and interested in sponsoring the team then please get in touch with Rhys Morton the expedition organiser on 07538 578976 or email info@steps2everest.co.uk

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