Buttercup Walk - June 2013

The Buttercup Walk, which will be held on 23 June 2013, is the RNOH Charity’s flagship fundraising event.

About the event

The Buttercup Walk is enjoyed by several hundred people every year, with a mixture of past and present patients, their families, and their friends attending. The day consists of a sponsored walk through the grounds of our Stanmore hospital, and a range of other attractions, including children's rides, a wide range of stalls, a band, and a climbing tower.

A different celebrity attends the Walk every year. He or she announces the start of the Walk, talks with participants, and draws the raffle. We are hopeful that a very high-profile guest will participate in the 2013 event.

The walk itself is just over a mile in length, and runs over terrain which is hilly in parts. It is not a race, and participants can complete some or all of the course, at their own pace and in their own way. We appreciate that some people may not feel able to undertake the walk themselves; if this is the case, you may wish to nominate someone to walk on your behalf.

It is always incredibly moving to see the courage and determination of our Buttercup Walk participants, many of whom have undergone extensive surgery, as they prepare to undertake the challenge of walking 1 mile.

How does the Walk help the RNOH?

Funds generated by the Buttercup Walk are distributed across the hospital for the direct improvement of facilities and patient care. Since its inception in 2003, the Walk has been a huge success, raising just under £350,000. This money has helped fund many essential items, including: customised chairs for the X-ray department, which allow scoliosis patients to be X-rayed while seated; pelvic harnesses used in the treatment of hip dysplasia in young infants; and communication aids to assist our patients with special needs.

As our goal is to make this year’s walk our most successful ever, we are asking that participants try to raise at least £50 in sponsorship money.

Buttercup Walk 2013 Entry Form

Buttercup Walk 2013 Sponsorship Form

The History of the Buttercup Walk

	1930s Our original Buttercup Day took place in the 1930s, when local children picked buttercups from the local countryside and sold them in central London to raise funds for the hospital.
	2003 This fundraising tradition was revived in 2003, with the first annual Buttercup Walk.
	2004-2012 Since then, thousands of patients and friends of the RNOH (and several celebrities!) have taken part in the Walk.
2013 Next year we will be aiming to surpass the record amount of funds raised by our walkers in 2012, but we will only be able to do so with your help!

If you have any queries about the Walk, please do contact the Fundraising Office on 0208 909 5362, or at buttercupwalk@rnoh.nhs.uk