Blenheim Palace is offering people the opportunity to watch the sunrise over the Estate as part of a fundraising walk on Sunday, 20 September.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is hosting the memorial Sunrise Walk for the SeeSaw charity.
SeeSaw offers grief support for children and young people in Oxfordshire and is Blenheim’s official charity for 2020.
This year is also SeeSaw’s 20th Anniversary year and they are marking the occasion with an exclusive, socially distanced, sponsored walk in memory of loved ones as the sun rises over the estate.
“The arrival of COVID-19 prevented us from holding many of our planned events,” said SeeSaw’s Jane Elliott, who is organising the sunrise walk.
“However we are delighted, thanks to our good friends at Blenheim Palace, to be able to hold this special memorial walk in the stunning Palace grounds this autumn, before it is open to the general public,” she added.
Participants can choose between a 1.5-mile circular walk around the Queen Pool, or a 4.6-mile walk around the Park perimeter. In order to manage capacity pre-booking is essential via the Blenheim Palace website.
Registration is £15 for adults and free for everyone under 18 years of age, although places are limited. Both walks are dog friendly (dogs must be kept on a lead). Refreshments and toilets will be available.
“This has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone, and charities in particular have been hit hard,” said Stephanie Duncan, Blenheim’s Marketing and Communications Director.
“SeeSaw provides an incredibly important resource for young people facing the worst possible news and offers them help and support to cope with and understand their grief,” she added.
As a result of the disruption due to the coronavirus, Blenheim Palace has confirmed it will extend SeeSaw’s charity of the year status into 2021. Blenheim supports the work of local charities as part of its 10 Goals.
Since its launch in 2000, SeeSaw has supported 6,639 children from 3,957 families to reduce the emotional, psychological and mental health consequences of bereavement.
As a registered charity, it relies on its own fundraising for over 85% of its grief support running costs. The cost of running the service is approximately £422,700 a year for which it depends on widespread support from individuals, local communities, businesses and trusts.
· For more information about SeeSaw visit www.seesaw.org.uk. To book tickets for the event go to www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/seesaw-sunrise-walk/