The Sky’s No Limit Now That Shooting Star Space Race Has Launched

Published on: 28 Jan, 2021
Updated on: 29 Jan, 2021

A brand-new mission has been launched by local charity Shooting Star Children’s Hospices that’s sure to be a blast. From March 1, they are calling all budding astronauts and moon-gazers to join them on a very special mission, the Shooting Star Space Race.

Supporters can help their virtual rocket shoot for the moon by walking, running, cycling, and scooting as many miles as they can to help their rocket reach its lunar destination.

Nicholas in the hospice garden with his cosmic creation ready for launch

It’s an astronomical 238,855 miles to the moon, but don’t worry, the charity has used a special Shooting Star formula (one Earth mile = 50 miles) so the Space Race team of fundraisers need to collectively cover 4,777 miles in 31 days to make the mission to the moon a success.

However you planet, this is an out of this world challenge that is fun for all ages, and as it runs (or should that be flies?) over the whole of March you can space out your miles to work for you.

Alexa Dizon, head of challenge events at Shooting Star, said: “We’re super-excited about our Space Race, particularly at a time when we’re all still feeling so very far apart.

“Although we may not be able to come together physically, we can make our mission a success only by working together as a team, a super Space Race team. So, we hope to have lots of budding astronauts eager to sign up and cover as many miles as they can over the month of March.

“With our mission now launched it’s really easy to sign up and once you do, you’ll be taken to Mission Control where you’ll be given lots of fundraising tips and ideas on how to get started on your Earth miles.”

Shooting Star’s marvellous mission is inspired by Chief Astronaut Nicholas. Eight-year-old Nicholas has been supported by our hospices for three years. Last year, during the pandemic, he stayed at Christopher’s, the charity’s Guildford-based hospice for emergency respite.

Nicholas was born eight weeks premature, with a chromosomal abnormality. He was later diagnosed with lymphoedema, a chronic condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues.

Nicholas’ condition mainly affects his lungs, heart and bowel, and he has to have weekly immunoglobulin infusions in both legs to help protect his immune system. This means he has to spend a lot of time in hospital, something both his family and the hospitals are keen to minimise if possible, particularly during this time.

Nicholas at the hospice for a respite stay, creating his rocket that was the inspiration for the Shooting Star Space Race

And he was over the moon when he stayed at the hospice for respite, so much so he decided to build and launch a space rocket, which became the inspiration for the Shooting Star Space Race.

By joining the Space Race team, you’ll be helping to ensure Shooting Star Children’s Hospices can continue to make every moment count for children just like Nicholas, giving them a chance to reach for the stars.

You can sign up for this cosmic virtual challenge at www.shootingstar.org.uk/event/shooting-star-space-race/ and find out more about how Shooting Star Children’s Hospices are providing a lifeline to more than 700 families across Surrey and London at www.shootingstar.org.uk