2,500 put their best foot forward for hospice care

AN incredible 2,500 men took to the streets of Plymouth on Saturday, striding out to honour their much-missed loved ones and show their support for the independent charity that provides specialist end of life care for local families.

- By JACKIE BUTLER

Sunny skies made an unexpected appearance as the biggest gathering yet of big-hearted chaps of all ages turned out for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Men's Day Out, setting off from Plymouth Albion rugby ground at Devonport to walk 12km along the waterfront and through the city - a reversal of the route to ring the changes for regular participants.

The iconic sold-out event - the biggest men’s charity walk of its kind in the South West and beyond - has gained huge momentum over the years. Since it was first held in 2014, with just 574 walkers, it has raised more than £1 million through sponsorship and donations to fund the clinical, practical and emotional support St Luke’s provides for people in their last months, weeks and days of life and their families.

United by a common goal, the men enjoyed a unique camaraderie as they walked, sharing light-hearted banter as well as digging deeper to reveal moving stories of their own experiences of loss and grief and how St Luke’s has helped them and their loved ones.

Most sported distinctive official navy blue event T-shirts, but as usual a host of eye-catching fancy-dress outfits added a touch of drama to the day, including a topical Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, knights of old England, Roman gladiators, cops and robbers, seagulls and chips, burger pickles, clowns and Dunkin Donuts.