Tisha teams up with Corrie pals for a night-time trek in aid of hospice

Soap star Tisha Merry will be joined by friends from Coronation Street as they stride out under the stars at the St Catherine’s Hospice Moonlight and Memories Walk.

Tisha, who played Bistro waitress Steph Britton in Coronation Street for four years, is taking part in the event on Saturday July 1 with pals Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany Platt, Katie McGylnn, who stars as Sinead Tinker, Faye Brookes, who appears as Kate Connor, and Bhavna Limbachia, who plays Rana Nazir. Her mum, Michelle Merry, will also be there.

She will be stepping out to support the charity in memory of her granddad Babilas Felicien Jean-Baptiste, who was cared for on the hospice in-patient unit in 2014.

The 23-year-old, who grew up in Preston, has supported St Catherine’s in the past through attendances at their Yellow Day garden fete – which takes place this year on June 25 – and Christmas Festival.

But this will be the first time she has taken part in the night-time sponsored walk, which also features a four-mile family friendly route. The event is open to all, offering a chance to come together to remember loved ones whilst raising money to fund the specialised care the hospice provides.

Tisha, who left the cobbles earlier this year to focus on new challenges, said: “I’m so excited to be part of what looks like an extremely special night and really pleased that my friends will be joining in the fun too.

“Looking at photos from previous walks you get a sense of the atmosphere and camaraderie – knowing that everyone is there for their own individual reasons, but uniting to support this amazing place. I can’t wait to experience that for myself on the night.

“Knowing that I’m doing it for my granddad, who we all still miss so much, will make it even more meaningful. He was looked after so well by the team at St Catherine’s, and that care extended to us all. We got to enjoy precious time with him towards the end because of the support we received from St Catherine’s – they helped him to die with dignity and in comfort, surrounded by his family and friends. That means so much to us all.”

There are still places available in this year’s event and the hospice is appealing for help to hit their target of 1,000 walkers. All funds raised through sponsorship are used to provide specialised care for people with conditions like cancer, motor neurone disease and heart failure, helping them to have quality of life, to the end of life.

Tisha said she would be happy to sign autographs and have pictures with walkers ahead of the start at 10pm.

She added: “I’ll be down at St Catherine’s Park before the walk begins and am looking forward to meeting fellow supporters and finding out about their reasons for taking part.

“It’s going to be an amazing night. If you’ve not registered already, get your friends or family together and join in the fun – it will mean such a lot to local families like mine who have experienced the care of this special place.”

• To register for the Moonlight and Memories Walk click here or call 01772 629171.
• To sponsor the group click here.
• Or to give £3 by SMS, text ‘Hospice Walk’ to 70444. Text costs £3 plus network charge. St Catherine’s Hospice receives 100% of the donation. Obtain bill payer’s permission.

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