Thanks to your generosity we have reached a new total of £42,250 for our Covid 19 Pandemic Isolation Unit appeal. Our Trustee and Treasurer Gordon Parfitt (plus Tallulah the dog!) did the honours and put the new sticker on our fundraising thermometer. The total is slowly but surely rising and is a great testament to the support we are receiving from our local community. Thank you again, and if you have not already donated please go to https://charlottestraker.org.uk/isolationunit for more information on the campaign and the different ways to donate.
Well done to our Charlotte Straker Team who have COMPLETED their Round Britain Exercise Challenge and raised £3090 for our Covid Isolation Unit Appeal. The challenge involved 33 people, (including all of our Trustees) submitting miles to the general total. It also included members of our care team, who counted their steps during each shift to add to the challenge miles.
The team arrived back in Corbridge after covering 4940 miles which took them around the coast of England, Scotland, Wales and the whole of Northern Ireland. The group actually exercised 6190 miles which means they inadvertently started a second lap….which means on average each person undertook 37.5 miles each week!
The photo shows our current registered manager Marilyn Hunter, and incoming manager Pam Crawley, holding the Union Jack bunting at the finish line at Charlotte Straker House with cyclists John Shaw, Charles Scott and Maurice Hodgson, plus a picture of our Trustees Peter Wood and Angela Jones, all of whom participated in the challenge.

(The photo shows Victoria and Karen in front of our fundraising thermometer)
Did you know our staff members often do around 12-15,000 steps every twelve hour shift? That’s the equivalent of walking almost 7 miles around Charlotte Straker House each day!
Victoria Hogg, Karen Dover, Tracy Richardson and Emily Pick, who all work in our care home, have been putting their steps towards a good cause and are adding their miles to the Round Britain Exercise Challenge, to walk as many miles as possible to raise money for the Charlotte Straker Covid Pandemic Isolation Unit Appeal.
Victoria, Karen, Tracy and Emily, plus other members of the Challenge team, are adding up their steps and miles with the aim of going virtually round the entire coast of England, Scotland, Wales and also the whole of Northern Ireland – a total of 6,155 miles!
Our Isolation Unit was formed at the beginning of the pandemic in March and is located in the east wing, separate from the rest of the building. It also has separate staffing arrangements and has proved invaluable in quarantining unwell residents, new residents and those returning from a stay in hospital. The aim is to protect other residents and ensure all remain safe. It currently costs the charity £6,500 every 4 weeks to run the Isolation Unit.
Victoria commented, “It’s been eye opening working out how many steps we do each shift, and we didn’t realise quite how far we walk during a busy day at Charlotte Straker House. I’m really happy that I can put all this mileage to good use and raise money the Isolation Unit.”
Karen added, “We just wanted to do our bit to raise money and I came up with the idea of adding up all our steps that we do per shift and being sponsored through the Isolation Unit Appeal. We’ve had a lot of interest from residents who see us checking our smartwatches to work out how many miles we’ve done so far each day.”
Marilyn Hunter (Registered Manager) commented, “We are very grateful to all those who have donated to the Isolation Unit Appeal so far, and to our hard working staff who wanted to do their bit to help out. The fact that we have a special space where families can meet residents has been a god-send. We have very specific cleaning and staffing arrangements in these rooms and the Unit has been a key point in helping to reduce anxiety around the impact of the Covid virus in our residents and staff, and has helped our families as they know that their loved ones are protected and safe.”
To sponsor ‘Team Charlotte Straker’ for this Exercise Challenge please donate via www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/CSPExerciseChallenge
Last week our keen crafters were very busy finishing off their clay figurines and decoupage bowls and trays, and painting beautiful cards to send to their families and friends. Our weekly crafting activity is still very popular and our residents enjoy chatting whilst making and admiring their crafty items.

The book “Corbridge: from Romans to the Coronavirus” by David Waugh, has just been published and features almost 80 images from Corbridge’s historic postcard collection and detailed background information.
Our Chair of the Trustees, Berenice Groves said “We are so grateful that David’s book will be supporting our Isolation Unit Appeal. It is a fascinating book, with lots of interesting photos and paintings showing the history of Corbridge, and some well researched information about our village. Dare I say it, that it will be a perfect Christmas present! Thank you very much to David Waugh for choosing to donate half of the cost of each book to our special appeal.”
Available now from Forum Books at The Chapel in Market Place. The price is £10, of which £5 goes to us at the Charlotte Straker Project. To order your book please call Forum Books on 01434 632931
The Charlotte Straker Project
Charlotte Straker, Cookson Close
Corbridge, NE45 5HB
01434 633999
office@charlottestraker.org.uk

Working for us
Do you want to join the Charlotte Straker team?
Join our mailing list
Would you like to receive information on our fundraising events, resident and staff updates, room vacancies, respite care information and volunteering opportunities?
