Hospital staff take on 2,000 mile virtual Lapland charity walk

The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust’s clinical coding team will virtually walk, run or jog the 3,866,000 steps between Rotherham Hospital and Lapland in time for Christmas Eve – that’s 90,372 steps every day during the 43-day challenge.

Eighteen members of the Coding Team were inspired to tackle the 1,943-mile festive challenge to boost the team spirit amongst their colleagues and to raise funds for the Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity’s Christmas Virtual Bucket Collection.

Lauren Saxton and Lisa Simpson, event organisers and the trust’s clinical information assurance leads, said: “Due to Covid-19 our lives, both personally and at work, have changed considerably since March 2020. Many of the events and holidays we were looking forward to have been cancelled and socialising has been put on hold. We wanted to end the year on a high by doing something fun and positive for ourselves and for charity.

“We hope our walk motivates us to get moving and to get fitter. It will bring us together virtually even though we’re physically apart. We wanted to set a challenge that helped raise the festive spirit amongst our team and our families, friends and colleagues.

“Our tracker elf will be keeping us, and you, updated on our progress along the way. The dark nights could be a challenge but hopefully our partners, children and even our pets to get involved to spur us on.

“Completing the challenge will be the best Christmas present ever. Please support us by donating if you can.”

The team began their challenge on 12 November and have already covered 300,000 steps and 150 miles – the equivalent of reaching Amsterdam, the second stage of their epic journey. From Amsterdam, the team will walk the remaining miles to Lapland, stopping off in Denmark and Sweden.

You can support the Clinical Coding Team’s Rotherham to Lapland challenge and keep up to date with their progress, by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ClinicalCodingLaplandChallenge

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