Men’s Day Out 2023: Walk, talk and remember lost loved ones

1st December 2022

Stand by to stride through the streets to raise funds for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth with the launch of the charity’s flagship Men’s Day Out 2023.

A mass of big-hearted men will be marching through Plymouth on Saturday 11 March to support the compassionate end of life care St Luke’s provides for hundreds of local families at the toughest times in their lives.

As well as a rousing day full of fun and banter, the event is recognised as an important opportunity for men to open up and share their closely guarded feelings of loss with fellow walkers who have been through similar experiences.

Men’s Day Out is one of the most popular and colourful happenings on the city’s calendar, with around 2,000 entrants signing up each year to march a 12km circular route, finishing with a pasty and a beverage at the rugby.

Walkers and their generous sponsors bring in thousands of pounds each year to help fund St Luke’s invaluable hospice care for patients at home, in hospital and at the charity’s specialist unit at Turnchapel, 365 days a year.

But it’s not only about clocking up the miles, totting up the cash or having a fun day out with your mates. Men’s Day Out offers a unique camaraderie for those who have lost loved ones or are facing up to a terminal diagnosis in the family. Rambling the streets together offers the perfect opportunity to meet others in the same boat and to swap stories, while doing something positive and uplifting to support people in the community at the end of their lives.

Many take part in the walk to remember a friend or family member who was cared for by St Luke’s. Writing their loved one’s name on their official Men’s Day Out T-shirts helps to spur them on as they join the throng of men on the move.

Starting and finishing at Plymouth Albion RFC at Devonport, the event, kindly sponsored once again by Jem Scaffolding Ltd, will kick off at 10am and follow a marked route through the city centre and along the waterfront, taking in Plymouth Hoe and the Barbican. Back at the rugby ground, walkers can enjoy a well-earned pasty and a beverage before settling down to witness our local boys in a clash with the Rams from Reading.

Registration for Men’s Day Out costs just £35, but that only covers your T-shirt, refreshments, rugby ticket and event costs. It’s your sponsorship and donations that really make the difference to patients who need the vital service at home, in hospital and at St Luke’s specialist unit at Turnchapel, 365 days a year.

Places are limited so take the leap and register early for this well-loved event to avoid disappointment and to start rallying your sponsors. Visit www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/mensdayout