St Nicholas Hospice Care events and activities: Girls Night Out updates

Registrations for our 2021 Girls Night Out event, supported by main sponsor Suffolk-focused developer Jaynic, are still open and we’d love you to join us on Saturday, 11 September.

We’re getting excited for the event, which will run in a more traditional format starting and finishing at Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds, with walkers able to choose between distances of six or 11.2-miles.

Ensuring the safety and comfort of everyone at the event is at the top of our priority list, which is why we’ve made some changes to how we do things to ensure everything is as safe as it possibly can be.

We will keep reviewing everything right up until the day, but here we detail some important updates regarding things that will be in place at the event.

Signing in on the night

On the night, we will be asking walkers to scan a QR code to sign in for the walk which will link you to a short online check-in form.

There will be a number of posters up on the night displaying the QR code, and we’ll also send a communication on the day with a link to the check-in form.

If you are unsure how to use the QR code to sign in, there will be lots of volunteers available on the night to help you, but if you have any issues or prefer to sign in in person, please just head to the Athenaeum where the Hospice Team will be able to assist you.

We will still allow walkers to sign up on the night, to do so please come to the Athenaeum where a member of staff will be able to assist you.

We expect that people will start to arrive at Angel Hill from 6pm. From 7pm, there will be activity on stage where we will celebrate our Covid Heroes, have a Zumba warm-up and celebrate our loved ones in the memory minute. The walk will start at 8pm.

What you can expect to see on Angel Hill

In the interest of hosting a safe event, below is some information about what you can expect to see on Angel Hill and during the build-up to the start of the walk. We expect that people will start to arrive at Angel Hill at the usual time of 6.30pm, with the walk starting at 8pm. 

Where do I get my bunny ears from?

As they have been in previous years, bunny ears will be available on Angel Hill. As usual, a desk will be manned by volunteers handing them out. Volunteers will be wearing medical gloves, which will be changed regularly, and hand sanitiser will be made available. However, if walkers would rather just grab their own from the table, that’s not a problem. 

Inside the Athenaeum 

Our new sign-in procedure will help to limit the amount of time people need to spend inside the Athenaeum. Where possible we ask that you sign in via the QR code. However, if you have any issues, or will be signing up on the night, please do come into the Athenaeum where the Hospice Team will be able to assist you.

All staff and volunteers based inside the building will be wearing masks. It is up to individual walkers if they want to wear a mask. 

The start line

The walk will start at 8pm. Although we won’t be setting walkers off in waves, we would ask that everyone walking the 11.2 miles makes their way to the front, and our six-mile walkers stand towards the back. We’d appreciate everyone’s help with this and also ask that you be mindful of space and make room for fellow walkers. Please don’t forget your route map. 

During the walk

We don’t expect walkers will notice many changes when completing their routes. Our wonderful marshals will be there cheering you on, and there will be some entertainment along the way too. 

If during the event assistance is needed participants will be given a number to call.

Small changes will include:

• There will be one-way systems in place at our water stops, and we’d ask you to be mindful of those around you when at the stops. There will also be plenty of hand sanitiser available. 
• At the toilet stops, a member of our team will regularly clean handles and touchpoints, and there will also be hand sanitiser available. 

To keep everybody involved in Girls Night Out as safe as possible, we aim for everyone to finish by midnight. There will be a ‘quick finish’ route for the 11.2 mile walkers who are unlikely to reach the finish line by this deadline. Anyone who has not reached the Southgate Roundabout by 11pm will be diverted back to Angel Hill via Southgate Street.

No need to sign out after the walk

This year walkers do not need to sign out when they have finished their walk.

Once walkers have completed the walk, they can collect their cake, hot drink and medal from inside the Athenaeum.

It is up to individual walkers if they wish to wear masks. Our staff and volunteers will be wearing masks and a one-way system will be in place. There will also be hand sanitiser available for use on entry.

Our Catering Team will be following social distancing measures, and cake and medal collection will be a grab and go.

Thank you

Our community is at the centre of our work, and as always, the safety and welfare of our staff, volunteers, and supportive community is, and remains, paramount to us.

We are pleased that we have been able to restart Hospice organised events cautiously, and we are so grateful to all who come along to enjoy them while supporting our charity to raise much-needed funds.