Bushfield bowlers walk St Cuthbert’s Way for Sue Ryder

Tracey Leake (72), from Orton Brimbles, and Sharon Rogalski (73), from South Bretton are both retired and proud members of Bushfield Bowls Club. Their close friendship - which spans two decades - has seen them through many adventures, and their latest challenge, a tribute to fellow club members, was no exception.

It all began in 2022 when Tracey had the idea to walk Hadrian’s Wall. “I thought, I want to do it - if anyone wants to join me, great,” she said. “I knew Sharon would say yes. She’s up for everything.” Joined by Tracey’s partner Paula, the trio completed the walk and raised over £2,000 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

Three years on, with Paula unable to take part due to health issues, Tracey and Sharon decided it was time to tick another item off their bucket list: St Cuthbert’s Way. “Time’s rolling on, and year after year it gets harder,” said Tracey. “So, I thought, it’s now or never.”

Setting off from Melrose in the Scottish Borders, the pair walked for seven days, averaging around ten miles a day.

The route was stunning, but not without its challenges. “We were immediately thrown into some very long ‘ups’,” Tracey laughed. “That hearty breakfast didn’t seem such a good idea after all!”

Without Paula’s expert map-reading skills, the pair found themselves off-track more than once but always managed to find their way back.

The walk ended on a high with a peaceful stretch along “The Sands” to Holy Island, where they reunited with fellow walkers and were joined by Paula for the final night. “It was the perfect ending,” said Tracey. “And we were so lucky to meet some wonderful people along the way.”

Their motivation to support the charity came from personal connections to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. Several members of Bushfield Bowls Club were cared for by the Peterborough-based hospice, including Barbara Perry, the club’s beloved social secretary, who passed away from pancreatic cancer. “She was the most wonderful person,” Tracey recalled. “When she got to the hospice, she said: ‘What a relief - I feel absolutely marvellous here.’ She couldn’t rate it highly enough. The people, the care, and the staff were just fantastic.”

With friend Liz updating their JustGiving page each day, the pair were delighted to surpass their £1,000 target, raising over £1,300 to help fund the hospice’s compassionate end-of-life care.

“At the end, we were ready to finish, but the weariness was overridden by the fact that we’d accomplished something quite hard,” said Tracey.

“When you’re tired and thinking you can’t go on, knowing you’re doing it for such a meaningful cause helps you take the next step.”

For more information or to support Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, visit www.sueryder.org/thorpehall