Tag: fundraising

Reddit Employees Roll Up Their Sleeves to Support St Christopher’s Charity Shops

Posted on by Charlotte Cohen

Around 10 Reddit employees volunteer across charity shops to support St Christopher’s, the home of the modern hospice movement 

St Christopher’s was delighted to welcome employees from Reddit who are volunteering their time across the charity’s retail network, helping to support the vital work of the leading hospice, Friday 25 September. 

The team spent the day volunteering in a number of St Christopher’s charity shops, assisting with tasks including sorting donations, merchandising stock, preparing items for sale and supporting shop teams. Their efforts will help generate essential funds that enable St Christopher’s to continue providing expert hospice care and support to people living with life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families and carers. 

Corporate volunteering programmes like this play an important role in supporting St Christopher’s shops, which rely on the generosity of volunteers, donors and supporters to help fund the charity’s services across south east London. 

Joanne Carroll, Relationship Development Manager, St Christopher’s, said “We are incredibly grateful to the Reddit team for choosing to spend their time volunteering with us and for bringing so much enthusiasm, energy and support to our shops. 

“Welcoming their team including their Executive Vice President into our shops has made a real difference. From sorting and processing donations to preparing stock for sale and supporting customers, their hard work has helped our teams immensely and will have a lasting impact on the communities we serve. Every item sold in our shops helps fund the vital care and support St Christopher’s provides to local people and their loved ones, so the contribution made by the Reddit team will directly help us continue delivering that care. 

 “This volunteering day marks the start of what we hope will be a fantastic and long-lasting relationship with Reddit. We are excited to have them as supporters of St Christopher’s and look forward to exploring more opportunities to work together in the future.” 

Jaina, Reddit Volunteer, said: “Thank you so much for such a great day! Thank you for welcoming us so well into the Streatham shop.  I feel so grateful for the opportunity to support such a great cause and give back to the community. My favourite part of the day was definitely styling the windows and learning all about the great work that the hospice is doing.”

St Christopher’s charity shops offer a sustainable way for people to donate, shop and support their local community, with proceeds helping to fund specialist care for thousands of people each year. 

St Christopher’s currently operates 23 charity shops, with the opening of their latest Eltham store bringing its retail network to 24 shops The hospice plans to open at least three new shops each year over the next three years, demonstrating its commitment to growing sustainable income and investing in local communities. 

From supporting our charity shops to fundraising and partnership opportunities, your team can make a real difference to local people and families. For more information about a corporate volunteering day with St Christopher’s email corporatepartnerships@stchristophers.org.uk.  

St Christopher’s Fun Walk raises £190,000 so far as thousands take part in 2026 event

Posted on by Charlotte Cohen

More than 2,000 people took part in the charity’s biggest fundraising event of the year, walking up to 11 miles each through Bromley’s woodlands and open countryside in support of their local hospice.

This year’s walk featured a number of powerful community stories. One family walked with around 150 friends and relatives in memory of their son, while a team of hospice nurses and clinicians completed the challenge together to raise funds for the patients and families they care for every day.

Along the route, walkers passed the event’s poignant Memory Tree, where participants could dedicate a heart to someone who had died. More than 450 hearts were placed on the tree in a moving display of remembrance.

The event offered four route options, 3, 5, 7 or 11 miles, starting and finishing at Keston Common. Fairground stalls, pop‑up shops, food and drink, games, and live music kept families entertained throughout the day, with dogs also welcome to join the walk. Participants signed up individually or as part of a team, with each group receiving an online fundraising page to track donations and compete for the top fundraising spot.

Karen, mother of Scott, who died at the hospice, said: “We joined thousands of others at St Christopher’s Fun Walk this year because the hospice was there for our son, Scott, when he needed them.

“St Christopher’s relies on its community to raise vital funds to deliver their expert care, and so after taking part last year with 44 of us, this year it was our dream to have a team of 150 of Scott’s friends, family and colleagues walking in his memory.

“Fun Walk is a wonderful way to support your local hospice and enjoy a fun‑filled day out. There’s so much happening across the site, with games, stalls and food and drink, and it’s also a chance to share stories and memories of those who are no longer with us.

“I know Scott would be so proud of us, as we were so proud of him.”

Head of Fundraising at St Christopher’s, Christine Davies, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to return to Keston Common for our annual Fun Walk. It’s one of the highlights of our year, bringing together thousands of supporters from across south London for a day full of energy, connection and purpose.

“Whether people walked with friends, brought the family, or joined us for the first time, they were part of something truly special. The walk reminded us how powerful it is when our community comes together, there was laughter, music, entertainment and a real sense of belonging.

“Now more than ever, events like this play a vital role in helping us raise the funds needed to provide crucial end‑of‑life care for local people, as well as support for their families and carers. Every step taken on the day made a meaningful difference. We’re so grateful to everyone who took part and helped us raise such an incredible total.”

Mum of two leads St Christopher’s runners who raise over £120,000 at the London Marathon

Posted on by Charlotte Cohen

The hospice had eight charity place runners and 18 ballot place runners taking part this year’s London Marathon.

Amongst the runners, was novice runner Astrid, with a deeply personal marathon journey. Astrid raised an incredible £22,500.

Astrid’s husband Theo, died just over a year ago. Running the marathon became her way of reclaiming a day that once symbolised pure joy for their family, and of honouring the man who loved the event more than anything.

Astrid, St Christopher’s Runner, said: “The London Marathon was Theo’s favourite day of the year,”

“He was obsessed with it, encouraging everyone he knew to enter, running with such joy and determination, and somehow always pulling off incredible times. His dream for 2025 was to run a sub‑3‑hour marathon.”

Theo died in January 2025, and when marathon day arrived three months later, Astrid described it as one of the darkest days of her life. Astrid said, “Last year I found the day so triggering. It felt like it represented all the happiness we’d lost. I sat in the house with his ashes on my lap and bawled.”

Astrid then decided to enter the ballot for the 2026 marathon so her daughters, Mollie and Elodie, could once again experience the excitement of cheering someone on.

Astrid said, “I want my kids to enjoy it again, to paint their signs and have someone to shout for. It will always be painful, but I’m hoping this will help us reclaim the day.”

Astrid is running in support of St Christopher’s, who have provided bereavement support to her and five‑year‑old Mollie through the Candle Child Bereavement Service.

Astrid continued: “From two weeks after Theo died, St Christopher’s has been our anchor. The Candle team reassured me, supported me, and made Mollie’s sessions so gentle and fun. Even the small acts of kindness; a coffee, a biscuit, someone sitting with me when I was crying, meant everything. They’ve been emotionally invested in us from the start.”

Astrid has also found comfort in group sessions with other bereaved parents and in the hospice’s remembrance events, where her family has tied ribbons and lit candles in Theo’s memory. “For us, the marathon has to return to what it was for Theo, a symbol of resilience, strength, and the courage to keep moving forward.”

Her story sits alongside those other St Christopher’s runners, each motivated by their own connection to the hospice. Together, their efforts have created the charity’s most successful marathon fundraising year.

Christine Davies, Head of Fundraising at St Christopher’s, said: “We are absolutely thrilled and incredibly moved by what our London Marathon team has achieved. To raise over £120,000 between just 26 runners is extraordinary. Their passion, their stories, and their commitment to supporting the hospice shine through every mile.

“Astrid’s journey in particular reminds us why our work matters so deeply. Her strength, and the love she carries for Theo and her daughters, has inspired so many people. We couldn’t be prouder of her and of the whole team.”

Funds raised will help the vital work St Christopher’s do by continuing to providing expert end of life care and bereavement services for those in the community each year.

Supporters interested in taking on a future challenge for St Christopher’s, including next year’s London Marathon, can find out more here.