Staff who run the Pharmacy at Harrogate District Hospital have walked the distance from Harrogate to Wellington, New Zealand – a total of 22,866km – in order to raise money for charity.

The challenge began in February this year with the aim of reaching New Zealand by Easter and raising £1,200 in the process. Overall, 45 Pharmacy staff and family members took part in the challenge and together were able to achieve this ambitious goal in time, surpassing their fundraising target and reaching a fantastic £1,600.

The fundraisers totalled up the distance run/walked/cycled by each individual every week, finally reaching their goal after over a month of hard work. The money they raised will go to Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity who support colleagues, services and patients at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

Event organiser and Pharmacy Support Worker Elizabeth Gill said: “At a time when we are all stretched thin and Covid-19 has meant we can’t get together outside of work, we wanted to come together to challenge ourselves while raising money for our hospital charity. We decided to do the ultimate challenge and get to Wellington in New Zealand as this is the furthest capital from Harrogate and also a country which is Covid-free!

“I’m so proud of everyone and how hard we’ve all worked. Our fundraising total is over £1600 which is incredible!”

Yvonne Campbell, Head of Charity and Business Development Project Manager, said: “Everyone at Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity is blown away by the amount raised by our Pharmacy team and the effort they’ve put in to supporting us. Recently, money raised by our supporters funded some portable DVD players for inpatients to use to watch films on while they’re in hospital, so the money they raise will go a long way to supporting services, patients and fellow colleagues at the Trust.”