ST Luke’s Hospice nurses say they are ‘increasingly concerned’ about the hospice’s flagship fundraising event, the Midnight Walk.

The annual event sees around 1,000 women take on the 13-mile challenge by moonlight.

Since launching in 2005, ladies taking part in the St Luke’s Midnight Walk have helped to raise £2.5 million for palliative care in Cheshire. Each year women taking part in the fundraiser raise enough money to continually fund one bed.

But St Luke’s nurses are increasingly worried that not enough money will be raised this year to fund the bed because sign-ups are ‘troublingly low’.

The concerned nurses have now issued a desperate plea for women to sign up for the walk with their family and friends, and ensure that the bed is funded for another year.

Jo Tomlinson, hospice nurse, said: “I want to appeal to everyone who has been supported by St Luke’s over the years and ask that they sign up for the Walk. Less than 20 per cent of our income comes from the NHS, so events like the Midnight Walk are really important to raise the money we need to care for patients.

“Knowing that one of our beds is normally funded by the Walk is a real worry for us all, I really hope that people will read this message and understand that they can do something to help.”

Taking place on Saturday, July 1, the Midnight Walk lights up the streets of Crewe and Nantwich to raise funds for the charity.

The late-night party atmosphere starts and finished in the grounds of Reaseheath College, and sees women of all ages walking together for the hospice.

Women of any age can sign up for the Midnight Walk and take on the full moon challenge of 13.1 miles, or the half-moon challenge of 6.5 miles. To register, visit stlukes-hospice.co.uk/midnightwalk or call 01606 555688.