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A supersonic sunny morning at our Painshill Planet Walk

February 28, 2023

On a bright winter Sunday morning, 26 February, 200 walkers, including many families supported by Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, set off to take on the Painshill Planet Walk as part of our Space Race challenge 2023.

Now in its 3rd year, the Shooting Star Space Race sees budding space cadets help the charity power their virtual rocket through space, whilst raising money to help support children with life-limiting conditions, and their families, living across Surrey and west London.

The first event of this year’s mission was a fully accessible 2.5km (or 5km) walk around the beautiful gardens of Painshill, which had been transformed into an intergalactic planet trail. Walkers ensured they looked the part for the mission, wearing some out of this world costumes, from rocket ships and astronauts to planets and aliens.


At the end of the trail, families could celebrate completing the trail with their very own medals and enjoy some space inspired crafts, including creating their very own planets out of special lanterns.

Alexa Dizon, Head of Challenge Events at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices said, “It was wonderful to be able to hold a fully accessible event where we could welcome so many supported families to enjoy a challenge together. A huge thank you to Painshill Park, our volunteers and everyone who made the event such a success – we hope this will be the first of many. And for anyone who’d like to get involved in our Space Race this year we have our Walk the Moon event on Saturday 11 March as well as our at-home challenges you can take part in to help us continue to provide a lifeline to local families.”

You can truly reach for the stars with a challenge that is the closest thing to walking on the moon. On Saturday 11 March, take on twilight walk over the O2 Arena. This unique 90-minute O2 roof walk experience will see you make an unforgettable journey across the iconic roof, with stars twinkling above, the capital’s lights shining around you and a spectacular multi-coloured light experience showing you the way! Spaces are very limited so make sure you don’t miss out on this lunar event.

Or you could run, walk or cycle star-shaped Strava routes, star jump your way through March or take on a star themed bake to earn your superstar status with an at-home challenge.


Whatever you choose, by joining the Shooting Star Space Race team, you’ll be helping to ensure Shooting Star Children’s Hospices can continue to provide a lifeline to local families. Find out more and sign up to these stellar challenges at www.shootingstar.org.uk/shooting-star-space-race/