Meet Fiona – stepping out for HILS!
Meet Fiona from the HILS Communications Team – she’s taking on a huge challenge to help raise awareness and much needed funds for our services. This autumn, Fiona and her partner Stephen will be walking 26 miles along The Test Way in Hampshire, fundraising to support older and vulnerable people across Hertfordshire, Hampshire and West Sussex.
In the run-up to the big day, Fiona is sharing her training journey through a series of blog posts – from early morning walks to sore feet and small victories. Whether you’re looking for Hampshire walking inspiration, love a good charity story, or want to learn more about the work of HILS and our meals on wheels service, follow along and support her every step of the way!
“As the weather was nice on bank holiday Monday, me and Stephen decided to venture out into the great outdoors to explore the countryside in Sparsholt near Winchester. This walk also included part of my favourite walk as a child at Farley mount so I could show Stephen the woods I use to explore regularly on family outings. This walk overall is 12 miles so we were putting in some more miles to help us prepare for the upcoming charity walk.
This is a circular walk which started off at Ham Green, near Sparsholt close to Winchester. We stared to the walk along country lanes and tracks before entering West Woods a large woodland based at Farley mount country park. I spent many weekends exploring the woods here with my two sisters and Luna the dog. We climb steadily through the woods to the Horse Monument at Farley Mount. Farley Mount Monument is named after the famous monument to a horse, named “Beware Chalk Pit”, which carried its owner to a racing victory in 1734, a year after having fallen into a chalk pit whilst out fox-hunting. The views all around the Hampshire landscape are stunning, and the monument can also be seen from a distance on parts of the walk.
We then follow the Clarendon Way, through to Parholt Wood. Where we then descended to the lovely church of St John’s Farley Chamberlayne where we had a picnic lunch. After Lunch we finished our outing by walking over Pitt Down and through Crab Wood circling back to the beginning. After the walk we treated ourselves to a pint in a country pub and enjoyed the sun in the pub garden.
Support Fiona’s 26-Mile Walk for HILS
Fiona is walking 26 miles along The Test Way in Hampshire to raise vital funds for HILS. Your donation will help us continue to provide life-changing services like Meals on Wheels, Active Ageing which helps prevent falls and frailty, emergency grocery packs for those in need, and Community Hubs to help fight loneliness and isolation, to people who need support to stay independent and well at home.
If you’d like to sponsor Fiona’s charity challenge, please donate here. Every pound raised helps HILS deliver care and kindness, right to people’s doorsteps.
Thanks for supporting Fiona, and for helping HILS be there for our communities.
