Greetings, Sunshine News readers. We hope you are doing well. As you read this, we are in Kielder, Northumberland, undertaking our long-awaited trek. Each year, we organize a guided hike, and this year is extra special as we head to one of the region's stunning landmarks to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
We are leading a group of 20 who will complete the 26-mile route through beautiful Kielder Forest in under 12 hours, all to support children living with disabilities, additional needs, and terminal illness in the North East. The route offers breathtaking views with numerous photo opportunities. It will be led by our head of charity, who has extensive knowledge and experience guiding local walks, combined with a passion for our cause, making the day even more personal. This also keeps our costs low, so every penny raised can be used directly to continue our work.
A huge thank you to Forestry England and Northumbrian Water for allowing access to the site, and to Apex Radio Systems for providing two-way radios at no cost to support the event.
I will be back next week once we have recovered to share how the trek went. Wish us luck, and if you would like to donate to the challenge and spur us on, you can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/sunshine-trek.
This week has also been exciting for our running events. Many local runners have been inspired by the London Marathon, and we have almost sold out of our Great North Run spaces. 2026 will be a record year for Team Sunshine, and we are excited to welcome our cohort of more than 140 representing us across the whole weekend. If you would like to help us sell out, check for available spaces and sign up at www.thesunshinefund.org/gnr. Supporting our small, local charity means you know exactly where your hard-earned sponsors are going and that donations do not leave the region.
If a half-marathon is too far, we have extended the deadline for our Sunshine Run 5k. We really want to hit our target number of runners, as more runners mean more funds to support our mission. Entry includes a t-shirt posted in advance, a medal upon completion, and a small donation directly to our cause. Runners will cross the finish line to the sound of drums as we welcome local samba band, the Bangshees, to perform. Participants will also receive discounts at Pitcher & Piano and Quayside Garden when they present their medal, and the run will be finished with plenty of time to get back or go out to watch the England match. Sign up now at https://bit.ly/sunshine-run. Entries close strictly at 23:59 on Sunday, May 10, and after this we will not be able to accept any registrations, so do not miss out. Alternatively, we need volunteers to help marshal the course. Register your interest at www.thesunshinefund.org/sunshinerun.
Thank you for reading! Sophie x
