Louise Brown from Bridlington is walking 1,500 miles to raise funds for Saint Catherine’s Hospice in memory of her dear friend and army veteran, Ray Francis MBE.
A Bridlington woman is taking on a very special and meaningful long-distance walking challenge between the months of April and August to raise vital money for Saint Catherine’s Hospice.
Louise Brown is undertaking the immense physical effort of walking a total of 1,500 miles in memory of her dear friend, Ray Francis MBE, who sadly passed away at the hospice on New Year's Eve.
Mr Francis was taken ill in November 2025 and was subsequently cared for at Saint Catherine’s over the Christmas period, staying at the facility for a total of fifteen nights before his passing.
Louise Brown explained the background of her friend, detailing his extensive military career and his lifelong dedication to public service and charitable causes.
Louise Brown said:
"Ray was a veteran serving his country for 23 years in the army, even getting mentioned in dispatches. He then became a prison officer and a prisoner nominated him for his MBE for services to charity. He helped many charities including the Special Olympics, Prison Service Games, Riding for the Disabled and Parkinson’s UK."
The structure of the fundraising challenge has been carefully designed to reflect the life and the end-of-life care of Mr Francis. Louise is planning to walk one hundred miles a week for fifteen weeks. This specific timeframe was chosen because it represents the fifteen nights her friend spent receiving care at Saint Catherine’s.
Furthermore, the total distance of 1,500 miles is highly significant to the charity. It costs approximately £1,500 to provide twenty-four hours of comprehensive care for a single patient at the hospice, a figure Louise hopes to highlight through her efforts.
The timing of the start of the challenge holds additional poignant meaning. The month of April is recognised as Parkinson’s Awareness Month, which is particularly relevant as Mr Francis suffered with the condition.
To put the physical demands of the challenge into perspective, the overall distance is equivalent to completing fifty-eight marathons. This number coincides perfectly with Louise taking on the monumental challenge during her fifty-eighth year of life.
Louise outlined her main motivation for the extensive walk and praised the staff who looked after her friend.
Louise Brown said:
"I hope to raise as much money for Saint Catherine’s as possible. The work they do is amazing, not only for the patients but for the family as well."
During her arduous journey, she is being supported in her fundraising efforts by her friends at the Bridlington Veterans Group.
Louise is hoping to raise both awareness for the charities involved and vital funds for the hospice while out and about walking in her local Bridlington area over the coming months.
Anyone wishing to support Louise in her monumental efforts can make a donation by visiting her dedicated JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/page/louise-brown-1500.
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