This October, Debbie King, Partner of 20 years in the Corporate Team at Farleys Solicitors, will undertake the extraordinary challenge of trekking across an Icelandic volcano and glacier field to raise funds for Pendleside Hospice, a charity that holds a deeply personal place in her heart.
Debbie’s motivation stems from the care her family received during one of the most difficult times of their lives. In 2017, after nearly three years of chemotherapy, Debbie’s Dad was told there were no further treatment options available. Facing the end of his life, the family was offered the chance to transfer him to Pendleside Hospice.
From the moment they arrived, the hospice staff treated Debbie’s Dad and her entire family with warmth, dignity, and compassion. Debbie recalls how they were invited to relax in the family room while her Dad was settled into a private room with patio doors and a peaceful view. The medical equipment was discreetly tucked away, and the staff took genuine interest in his life story, laughing when he declared his religion as “Burnley Football Club”.
The family was able to stay in the flat upstairs, ensuring they were never far from him. Debbie describes her Dad as one of the people she was closest to in life and her biggest supporter. Though he was taken far too soon, the care and kindness shown by Pendleside Hospice left a lasting impact. Debbie has been seeking a way to give back ever since.
Her upcoming trek in Iceland is part of that mission. Previously, she had signed up for Pendleside’s Great Wall of China Trek in 2019, which was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19. Now, she’s ready to take on the volcano and glacier challenge in October 2025.
Louisa Mayor, head of income generation with Pendleside Hospice commented,
Debbie is fantastic, we were all so gutted for her when she couldn’t take part in the China trek as she has worked so hard to raise her sponsorship. Pendleside hospice is expected to cost just over £6.5 million this year and with less than 20% of that coming from NHS funding the reliance on supporters like Debbie is becoming greater and so, so important. Our community and their support keep us going and we just can’t thank Debbie enough for her efforts, positivity and drive for this challenge and we hope she has a truly memorable trip.
How You Can Support Debbie’s Fundraising Efforts
Debbie has launched a vibrant community campaign to raise funds, with several ways for supporters to get involved. Alongside her JustGiving page, raising sponsorship for Debbie’s trek, she’s also running a raffle with prizes including a barrow of booze, Crow Wood and The Ivy vouchers, and a variety of hampers and vouchers for local businesses. She’s rallied colleagues at Farleys with football card games and Smarties tube fundraising.
Debbie is also inviting local businesses to donate raffle prizes in exchange for promotional exposure across social media, JustGiving, and at the event.
So far, ten longstanding clients and referrers of Debbie have agreed to donate to this cause in return for their logo being emblazoned on her trekking top.
If that wasn’t enough, on Saturday 6th September, Debbie will be hosting a fundraising evening at Haslingden Cricket Club featuring live music from Silver Street and Busker Ellie, dancing, games, and a hot supper. Tickets are £15 for adults and £5 for children and can be purchased via her JustGiving page.
All proceeds including some match funding by the Farleys Foundation will go to Pendleside Hospice, whose compassionate care and support made a profound difference to Debbie and her family. Her trek is not only a physical challenge but a heartfelt tribute to the hospice’s work and a rallying call for community generosity.
