Intrepid explorers invited to Camino information evening 

When Winchester Hospice opened its doors to its first patient three years ago, it was all thanks to the local community which raised millions of pounds to turn a derelict building into a modern end of life care facility. Since then, the hospice has cared for over 1,000 people, with many more looked after in the community, but it still needs local support to continue this excellent care. 

In September 2025, the hospice will embark on a five-day trek of the Camino in Spain and is now recruiting local supporters to join their team, who will each help raise important funds with every step. 

“While we’re proud to be part of the NHS, around a third of the money it costs to care for local people comes from charitable giving from our community. We see our supporters take on a range of activities to support us and we wanted to offer them an experience that they’ll remember forever – and the Camino is certainly one that we think many local people will be interested in joining,” said Jo Westerman, Fundraising Manager at Winchester Hospice. 

The trek will see walkers complete over 100km over five days, walking up to 29km a day. As a reward for all the hard work, trekkers will take in some incredible sights along the way including the hilly landscapes of Galicia, numerous points of cultural and historical interest and, of course, the impressive Santiago de Compostela where the trek culminates. 

If you are interested in taking part, the hospice is hosting an information evening that will provide details of what to expect from the trek as well as ideas on how to reach fundraising goals. The evening will take place on Monday 30 September at Christ Church and trek organisers The Different Travel Company will be on hand to share their previous experience of the Camino trek and answer any questions people have. 

If you’d like to attend, email the team to reserve your place at winchester.hospice@hhft.nhs.uk and you can find out more about the trek here.