What is Steps of Hope
Steps of Hope is a new month long challenge for October 2026. Choose your daily distance, 1, 3 or 5 miles, and walk, run or travel it every day throughout the month, in whatever way suits you. There’s no event day and no set route, just a daily commitment that adds up to something meaningful for Northamptonshire’s NHS.
How it works
- Choose your daily distance: 1, 3 or 5 miles
- Sign up before 30 September to take part
- Track your progress your own way, an app, a step counter, or a simple printed log
- Set up your fundraising page on Enthuse (suggested target £100)
- Walk, run or travel your miles every day throughout October
- Share your progress using #StepsOfHope
Why take part
In memory. Dedicate your miles to someone special.
In thanks. Say thank you to the NHS staff who cared for you or a loved one.
In celebration. Celebrate good health, or a personal milestone.
Sign up to take part
This October, walk, run or travel 1, 3 or 5 miles a day, every day throughout the month, in memory, in thanks or in celebration.
Baby Loss Awareness Week and the Stanwick Lakes Memory Walk
This section contains content about baby loss and bereavement.
October also marks Baby Loss Awareness Week (9 to 15 October). We’re holding our first ever in-person Memory Walk at Stanwick Lakes on Saturday 10 October, a gentle, guided walk for anyone who has been touched by the loss of a baby.
There’s no cost to attend and no obligation to fundraise. This is a chance to walk together and remember.
If you can’t join in person, you’re welcome to take part in the global Wave of Light on 15 October at 7pm, wherever you are.
Join us for our Baby Loss Awareness Week Memory Walk
Baby Loss Awareness Week and the Stanwick Lakes Memory Walk
We're holding our first ever in-person Memory Walk at Stanwick Lakes on Saturday 10 October, a gentle, guided walk for anyone who has been touched by the loss of a baby.
FAQs
A new challenge for October 2026. Choose to walk, run or travel 1, 3 or 5 miles a day, every day throughout the month, in memory, in thanks or in celebration.
Every day throughout October 2026. Sign-up by 30 September so you’re ready to start on 1 October.
No, signing up is free. We suggest a fundraising target of £100, but this is entirely up to you.
The challenge is designed as a daily habit, but life happens. Do what you can at your own pace, there’s no penalty for missing a day here and there.
However works for you – we suggest using a fitness app such as Strava or MapMyWalk, your phone’s step counter, or a simple printed log which we’d be happy to send you.
We hope you will, since that’s what makes the challenge possible, but there’s no fixed requirement. Setting up a fundraising page and sharing it with friends and family is the easiest way to raise the suggested £100.
Once you sign up, we’ll send you a link to set up your own page on Enthuse, along with some tips to help you get started.
Yes. Take part as a family, with friends, or as a work team. Everyone signs up individually, but you can walk together and support each other.
It’s a separate, in-person event on Saturday 10 October at Stanwick Lakes, held during Baby Loss Awareness Week, open to anyone who has been affected by the loss of a baby. You don’t need to be taking part in Steps of Hope to join, and there’s no cost or fundraising expectation either way. However, if you are taking part in Steps of Hope it could contribute towards your daily goal.
We’re so grateful to every person who chooses to take part. Your support will help to fund improvements to the NHS in Northamptonshire, providing hope to patients and families. As a small token of our gratitude, we will send you one of our ‘Thank You NHS’ badges in the post.