Men and women are encouraged to sign up for the exciting event and can choose to either walk or run five or eight miles or a more challenging half-marathon route.
All routes start and finish at Ipswich Town Football Club on Saturday 16th May and this year is pirate-themed!
Gavin Lamb, event organiser, said: “The Midnight Walk is our biggest fundraising event in our calendar and it’s always a fantastic event, with an incredible atmosphere of hundreds of people united to walk or run round Ipswich town centre at night – raising money for their local Hospice.
“This year we have spent a lot of time looking at and improving the routes – so if you’ve taken part before, you will notice that the routes are taking you through different roads this year – and we will be recruiting more volunteer marshals to ensure they are all well manned.
“We particularly focussed on improving the 13 mile route – which we introduced for the first time last year. 30% of people signed up last year took on this longer route and we expect more to take on the challenge this year – especially as a lot of people take part to boost their fitness, or as training for another event.”
Chris Widdick, 29, of Ipswich, has signed up for the 13 mile route. This will be Chris’ third Midnight Walk after he was first convinced to take part in 2013 as part of his efforts to get fitter.
Chris said: “For the past couple of years I’ve been striving to improve my general fitness, and taking part in the Midnight Walk has been really beneficial for that.
“This year I am going to be walking the 13 mile route once again and I will be using it as a warm up for the next challenge I have set myself – a 100km walk from the Olympic Park in London to Cambridge.
“I will be turning 30 this year, so I decided to give myself a real challenge and complete the London to Cambridge walk in 24 hours. I am also doing this challenge to raise money for the Hospice, as it was the St Elizabeth Hospice Midnight Walk that got me into long distance walking.”
If you would like to sponsor Chris on his challenge, visit www.justgiving.com/Chris-Widdick/
This will be the Hospice’s ninth Midnight Walk, which over the years has raised over £1million to provide care and support for people living with a progressive illness and their families.
Registration is £15 and includes a Midnight Walk T-shirt and medal at the finish line. To sign up now visit www.midnightwalkipswich.co.uk or to request a paper form call 01473 707043 or email midnightwalk@stelizabethhospice.org.uk