Walk for Wards FAQs

What will happen once I register?

You’ll receive an email with your booking confirmation, if you have chosen to raise your sponsorship online you will then receive details about your online fundraising page which will have been automatically set up for you. However, if you have chosen to raise your sponsorship offline, you will receive an email with further information on how to do this, along with a sponsorship form that you can print. A couple of months before the walk we’ll send you your Event Pack which includes sponsorship forms, your Walk for Wards back signs, along with information about the event and fundraising advice. We will send this to the team leader only. You (the team leader) will also receive regular email updates from us over the coming months.

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We’ve got young children, can they walk some of the way and ride the rest in a buggy?

Young children and families are very, very welcome at Walk for Wards! The 3k route is mainly over flat gravel tracks and grassland and is particularly suitable for pushchairs (although a small amount of lifting may be required) and young children. The 5k and 10k routes are obviously more challenging with some rougher tracks and undulating terrain. (The 5k follows the 10k route but does not take in the woodland area). Whilst previous participants have completed the 5k & 10k routes using an ‘off-road’ style pushchair it is not recommended as considerable amounts of lifting will be required and paths can be narrow, with rough terrain and overgrown in places. The 5k, 10k and 15k routes are generally more suitable for older children and adults.

Please note that children must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

Can I turn up on the day and take part?

No, all walkers must register either online or by post at least one week in advance.

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How do I get there and is there car parking available?

Wilton House is well signposted from all major routes. Free car parking is available at the Wilton Park & Ride with a shuttle bus service. Information about this and public transport to the event will be outlined within your Event Pack, which we will send out to you from the Spring. We ask all wheelchair or mobility-aid users to kindly contact us before registering so that we can provide further details.

Will there be toilets en route?

Toilets are available at the start/finish located near the Wilton House Cafe and adventure playground and also at the split point for the 5k/10k+15k routes.

What about First Aid?

Our friends at St John Ambulance will be on hand at the Start/Finish point as well as roving the route in their 4×4 ambulance. Marshals, who are placed at least every 1 km along each route can immediately summon first aid to a particular point on the walk if required.

Will food and drink be supplied?

All walkers will receive free lunch once they have completed their walk (sandwich and snack). If you are taking on the 15k route, you will collect your lunch before you set off and have this at your own leisure along the walk. There are water stations along the route where you can fill up water bottles and for those walking 10k and 15k, there will be a snack station with toilets and coffee van. You are also able to purchase additional food and drinks at the Wilton House Café.

How long will the walks take?

It is not a race and the focus is very much on everybody enjoying themselves at their own pace. However, the shorter 2 routes (3k and 5k) may take approx. 30 minutes to an hour and a half to complete and the longer two routes (10k and 15k) may take between 2 and 4 hours to complete. For the safety of you and our marshals, the 15k route will have a cut off time which will be advised by our marshals along the route, specifically along Old Shaftesbury Drove / Hare Warren. You will be advised to complete the 10k route if passing these marshals at a certain time.

Is the route suitable for wheelchairs?

Unfortunately none of the routes are suitable for wheelchairs or mobility aids. There is a shorter route of 1.5k that may be suitable, but the route is on gravel and grass, and can be muddy and boggy in wet conditions. We therefore ask that all users of wheelchair and mobility aids should have someone with them to assist and that they kindly contact us on 01722 429005 in the week leading up to the walk, so that we can provide further details on ground conditions.

Can I direct where my sponsor money goes?

Yes, you can support the ward or department at Salisbury District Hospital of your choice by participating in Walk for Wards. Click here to see where your support can help. You can indicate how you’d like the sponsorship money to be allocated either on your online giving page or on the sponsorship forms included in the Event Pack that you will receive in the post in the Spring.

How do I get my sponsor money to the Stars Appeal?

We don’t have facilities for accepting sponsorship money at the walk itself so we would be very grateful if you could post a cheque (made payable to ‘the Stars Appeal’) to the Stars Appeal Office within six weeks of taking part in Walk for Wards (17th Aug). Don’t forget to include your sponsorship forms so that ‘Gift Aid’ can be claimed. Please, please do not post any cash – thank you! If you have cash please contact us by calling 01722 429004 and arrange to drop by and see us at the office.

Can I set up an online sponsor form?

You can raise your sponsorship online via an Enthuse Fundraising page, you will have the opportunity to set this up automatically during your registration. The money will be paid direct to the Stars Appeal so please state at registration and on your page if you wish to direct your fundraising towards a particular ward or department of the Hospital (e.g. Cardiac Care or Spinal Unit). We’ll add anything you raise in this way to any extra money you send in the post. Using an online giving page is a great and very easy way to encourage your friends and family to support you. They can also Gift Aid their donation if they are eligible.

How fit do I need to be?

Although none of the routes are massively challenging, the 5k and 10k are moderately hilly, across some rough terrain. Much of the NEW 15k route follows the 10k, but takes you further into Hare Warren following scenic off-road paths and woodland trails, with inclines and beautiful views over Salisbury. We recommend you feel confident that you can complete your chosen distance comfortably and have a reasonable level of fitness (for the route you are walking). If you are in any doubt, or you have experienced health problems of any kind, please check with your doctor before taking part.

Can we enter as a team?

Yes of course! When registering online you can add all members of the team. Please note, you will be the ‘team leader’ and will receive all event correspondence. If you are completing our paper registration form, there is space to write a team name and all members of your team. Walk for Wards makes a great team building event for business, schools and other organisations!

Can I bring my dog?

Unfortunately, as all routes pass through the grounds of Wilton House, and due to their rules, we cannot accept dogs except for guide dogs and assistance dogs. Please do not leave dogs in cars.

What should I wear?

We recommend that you wear suitably supportive footwear such as walking boots, especially if you are walking the 10k or 15k routes. You will hopefully require some sun cream and a hat, but you should equally pack your waterproofs as the walk still goes ahead if it rains, some say it’s even better for it!!

What time do I need to arrive?

Registration opens at 08:30am, with the walk starting at 10:00am. We ask all registrants to have checked in by 09:30am, ready for the Walk for Wards Warm-Up and speeches.

Is there an age limit?

Everyone is welcome! All we ask is that all children are accompanied by a responsible adult (who has also registered for the walk) at all times and that anyone who is unsure whether they are fit to take part checks with their doctor first!!

If the walk is free to enter, how does the Stars Appeal raise any money from the event?

From the sponsorship that walkers kindly seek from friends, family and colleagues. We ask that all walkers raise a minimum sponsorship amount (£20 for the 3k,5k and 10k and £50 for the 15k)

What will the Stars Appeal do with the sponsorship money I raise?

We’ll use it to help local people undergoing treatment at Salisbury District Hospital and the staff that care for them. Depending on what you indicate on your sponsorship form, the money you raise could support a specific ward or department, or it could help fund our ongoing projects; like our free Wi-Fi for all patients, staff and visitors; or Stars Appeal toiletry packs, free TV cards and clothing for patients arriving at hospital in an emergency or facing hardship. Alternatively, it might be used to provide state-of-the-art equipment.

Whatever area you choose to support, we’ll make sure your hard-earned sponsorship is used to provide additional resources, over and above what the NHS already provides, to help make a real difference for local people in Hospital.

Do walkers get free entry to Wilton House?

All walkers are free to enjoy the grounds of Wilton House and the fantastic adventure playground until 5pm. Entry to the house can be obtained by buying a ticket in the Wilton House gift shop.

We’re taking part in a large group including some young children, do we really have to raise a minimum sponsorship of £20/£50(route dependant) each?

Yes, each walker needs to commit to raising the minimum sponsorship amount for the distance they are walking; at least £20 sponsorship per person for 3k, 5k and 10k and £50 sponsorship per person for 15k, but we hope you’ll raise lots more!

For example, if you have registered for 3 people, you will need to raise a minimum of £60/£150 (route dependant).

As the entry is free, sponsorship raised by walkers is the charity’s only source of income from the event. We don’t expect young children to seek sponsorship themselves, but we would hope that the adults in the group would raise at least enough to cover £20/£50 per entrant. It’s easy once you get going – promise!

Are there any terms and conditions of entry?

Yes, please read these carefully in the section below and ensure you are happy with them prior to signing up:

– All participants take part entirely at their own risk and understand that if they have doubts about their health, or have a medical condition that could be affected by exercise, they should obtain their doctor’s approval before participating.

– Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.

– By registering for this event you, and those named in your team, agree to raise at least £20 / £50 in sponsorship per person. Should you be unable to attend, we would ask that you raise this money by participating in another event of your choice, or by making a donation.

– By taking part, all walkers agree that they are happy for their names and any footage or photographs taken during their participation in this event to be used to publicise Walk for Wards and the Stars Appeal generally, including television broadcasts.

– Under the Data Protection Act 1998, Salisbury District Hospital Stars Appeal are required by Law to give you the following notice: By registering to take part in the Salisbury District Hospital Stars Appeal Walk for Wards, you are giving your consent for your information to be shared for administrative reasons only. Your information will not be disclosed to marketing firms. You have a right to ask for a copy of the information held about you in our records, for which we may charge a small fee, and to require us to correct any inaccuracies by writing to the Information Governance Manager, Informatics Department Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Odstock Road, Salisbury Wiltshire SP2 8BJ: Data Protection Registration No Z6613850

Thanks for reading these FAQ’s and we look forward to seeing you at the start line.

Any further questions just call Helena on 01722 429005

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