Inspirational fundraisers Rebecca and Lily Whitehurst have been announced as winners of Cure Parkinson’s Fundraiser of the Year! This award celebrates fundraisers who have gone above and beyond to support the charity’s vital Parkinson’s research, and Rebecca and Lily truly went the extra mile last year.
Over the years the family have raised funds for Parkinson’s charities as the cause is very close to their hearts; Rebecca’s dad (Lily’s grandad) lived with Parkinson’s for 20 years, and her husband (Lily’s dad) was diagnosed with the condition in 2010.
Last year Rebecca and Lily took on one of their biggest challenges to date by walking the Pembrokeshire coast path, covering 186 miles in 16 days, and raised a phenomenal £8,000 along the way. Rebecca said:
“We wanted to do something really challenging to try and raise as much money and awareness as possible. As I live in Pembrokeshire, the Pembrokeshire coast path seemed like the obvious choice. We could take advantage of the beautiful scenery, as well as easily access support from our friends and family.”
In the year leading up to the 186 mile walk they went on hikes whenever they could, gradually increasing the distance and difficulty, including a three day trip. When they set off for the fundraiser in August 2024, the pair walked between 10 and 15 miles each day and certainly encountered more than their fair share of challenges, including bad blisters, torrential rain and gale force winds.
To keep them motivated during the 16 day adventure the Whitehursts relied on their incredible family and friends for support, plus the stunning Pembrokeshire coastline to lift their spirits. Rebecca said:
“We had different people join us on our walks almost every day, as well as a network of supporters that drove us to and from start and end locations, and even cooked the occasional meal for us. Without a doubt we could not have done it without them. And when the sun shone and the Pembrokeshire coast was there in all its glory, it all seemed much more possible.”
To document their adventure, they also set up an Instagram account dedicated to their fundraiser (@coastpath4parkinsons), helping to raise the profile of their challenge and update their supporters.
Cure Parkinson’s is extremely grateful to Rebecca and Lily for their incredible support of the charity, and wish them a huge congratulations for being the charity’s Fundraisers of the Year. Helen Matthews, CEO, said:
“Rebecca and Lily have really gone the extra mile (or 186 of them) with their fundraising! The only way we can fund our vital Parkinson’s research is with help from incredible supporters like Rebecca and Lily, and we would all like to say a big thank you to them for their dedication and determination to raising funds and awareness of the urgent need for a cure for Parkinson’s.”
If you’re feeling inspired by Rebecca and Lily’s Pembrokeshire coast challenge, take a look at how you can organise your own walking challenge for Cure Parkinson’s: cureparkinsons.org.uk/get-involved/walk-to-cure/.
Feature image: Rebecca and Lily Whitehurst
