Huge Zoe's Place fundraising walk is taking place from the Pier Head this weekend

A huge walk is taking place this Saturday from the Pier Head to Zoe’s Place to raise cash for the under-threat baby hospice.

The six-mile fundraiser has been organised by Kate’s Coastal Walk which supports Zoe’s Place each year.

The annual walk was started in 2018 by former teacher Ged Finnegan in memory of his daughter Kate who died when she was just 12 years old.

Having already raised more than £80,000 to date, he decided to arrange an impromptu event in response to the shocking news that Zoe’s Place was facing closure.

Ged explains: “Amy, one of the fundraisers from Zoe’s Place, rang me last Monday with the news and she was just devastated at the thought of the staff all losing their jobs and the parents and children having nowhere to go.

“It shouldn’t happen, and I think a lot of people have been outraged, so I was thinking what I could do to help and the idea came to me overnight.

“Our regular walk in March is 26 miles, but I thought we could do a shorter one from a meeting point at the Pier Head to Zoe’s Place.

“It’s only six miles, my mate has made a terrific banner so it’ll be like a march, and we’ll be carrying buckets so we can collect in the city centre and along the route.

“We’ll be going from the waterfront up James Street, Lord Street and Church Street to outside Primark, then we’ll separate into smaller groups and go into busy areas like Liverpool ONE and St John’s to get to as many people as we can.

“After that we’ll meet up again and walk up Bold Street, Hardman Street, by the Cathedral, and then along Edge Lane towards Zoe’s, and I believe some of the staff are planning to come out to meet us with about a mile to go.”

The Save Zoe’s Place Walk has already attracted plenty of interest and if it’s anything like Ged’s previous walks it promises to gather even more momentum by Saturday.

The first Kate’s Coastal Walk saw about 30 fundraisers going from the Red Bull statue at Otterspool, along the river and over on the ferry to Seacombe, on to New Brighton and Leasowe Lighthouse and back to south Liverpool.

This year the number taking part had risen to 150 and they managed to raise a fantastic £27,000.

Ged says although his own daughter had never been in Zoe’s Place, he wanted to support the charity because he felt a connection with families there.

“When I was thinking what I could do to mark Kate’s 20-year anniversary, I saw something on TV about Zoe’s Place, they were interviewing two parents whose child was dying. I saw the look on their faces and I just identified with that.

“Last year we had 150 people walking, and I really want 200 or 300 next year so we can keep raising more and more money.”

Ged is inviting anyone who’d like to take part in the Save Zoe’s Place Walk this Saturday to get together at the Pier Head outside the ferry terminal for 10am, preferably wearing yellow, and if they can bring a bucket to have a fundraising sticker attached even better! The walk is expected to take around 4-5 hours.