Caraway Care Home Half Marathon unites community to tackle Loneliness
- debbiethrower0
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
Southampton, June 28, 2025 — On a bright and sweltering Saturday morning, teams of runners and cyclists completed the 'Caraway Care Home Half Marathon'; a unique fundraising challenge linking all 14 care homes that Caraway works with across Southampton.
The event was organised to raise essential funds for Caraway, a local charity offering Anna Chaplaincy and Dementia support for older people, while also raising awareness for National Loneliness Week.
Participants set off early and covered more than 13 miles, stopping at each care home along the route to deliver a personalised card and say a warm hello to staff and residents.
Starting at Templeton Place in Nursling the teams crossed through the city before heading out to finish at Oaklands House on Allington Lane. Despite the heat, the atmosphere remained fun and positive, with many meaningful conversations taking place along the way.
“It was a real joy to chat with the residents,” said Catherine Wood, one of the runners: “Even a brief visit can make a big difference. You can see people’s faces light up just from being remembered and included in the fun. I think being visited by a group of sweaty, red-faced, bright yellow runners tickled them!”
Anna Chaplain Dave Hendra, a specialist Chaplain for Dementia and one of the runners taking part, was touched by some of the residents humour and enthusiasm:
“Several older people I chatted to asked jokingly if they could join in - a lovely gentleman called Colin was particularly keen to run with us; and another lady called Jo told us about her years working for a charity - the experience and stories older people have to offer is just amazing.”
Staff and residents welcomed the visitors with open arms, offering smiles, heartfelt thanks and a much-needed drink of water! The event not only highlighted the reality of loneliness among older people but also showed a fantastic way of community-working together:
“The Caraway Care Home Half Marathon wasn’t just about covering miles - it was about making meaningful connections and raising the profile of the issue of loneliness in later life,” said Dr Ros Simpson, Trustee for Caraway and one of the cyclists. “By visiting each care home in person, we were able to remind residents that they matter, and that they are an important part of our community.”
Funds raised from the event will go directly to Caraway’s ongoing initiatives that support older people through Chaplaincy, Dementia Support, and Community Events across Southampton.
Donations can still be made at: https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/28376#!/DonationDetails
For further information, please contact:
Catherine Wood: chaplaincyservices@caraway.uk.com Phone: 07813113846 www.caraway.uk.com
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