On Saturday 16th May, 650 participants of all ages trekked along the gorgeous Dorset and Hampshire coastline for the Oakhaven Walk 2026, which Pennyfarthing Homes was proud to sponsor for the third year running. Hosted by Oakhaven Hospice, the charity provides vital end-of-life care and support to families across the communities of New Forest, Totton and Waterside, having expanded across those regions since it first opened in Lymington 34 years ago. All funds raised from the walk go directly towards that care: £130 pays for two bereavement counselling sessions, whilst £1,438 pays for a syringe driver to give continuous, effective pain relief to a patient. In total, the walk raised £187,000 for the charity, £19,000 more than in 2025.
Among the walkers this year were several members of the Pennyfarthing team, who tied up their boots and took on the challenge amongst hundreds of other participants. For our team, it was an opportunity to go beyond the role of sponsor and be part of the day in a more personal way, by experiencing first-hand the spirit and enthusiasm that makes the Oakhaven Walk such a special event. They came away with a well-earned sense of pride in what the day had achieved.
Walking to Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington from Sandbanks (approx 26 miles), Mudeford (approx 13 miles) and Barton on Sea (approx 8 miles), participants set out bright and early, enjoying sunshine and the light Channel Sea breeze in the morning, followed by ‘refreshing’ rain showers to cool everyone down in the afternoon. This year attracted huge support across the region, visible from the impressive walker turnout and an abundance of volunteers helping the whole thing run smoothly by registering, directing, and providing refreshments for participants. The sense of achievement and community was palpable.
Since opening in 1992, Oakhaven Hospice has provided free-of-charge palliative care thousands of residents across the New Forest and Waterside area, which is a testament to what sustained community support can achieve. Fundraising events like the Oakhaven Walk are a reminder of why that support matters.
As a family-owned housebuilder that has been rooted in this region for over 40 years, seeking to invest and support the vital work of local organisations is part of the Pennyfarthing Homes ethos. By facilitating planning and underwriting the event’s running costs, we have helped to
ensure that every pound raised in sponsorship by walkers now goes directly to the care Oakhaven freely provides across the local community.
Matt Dukes, Managing Director of Pennyfarthing Homes, comments: “Supporting Oakhaven Hospice each year is something that Pennyfarthing Homes is incredibly proud of. It is a truly worthy local cause, and one that means a great deal to our team and the wider community. As a family-owned housebuilder that has been based in this beautiful part of England for over 40 years, our roots here run deep; as does our long-standing relationship with Oakhaven Hospice. Providing far more than end-of-life care, it offers vital support to families, friends and loved ones throughout life’s most difficult moments.
“Everyone at Pennyfarthing takes immense pride in knowing that our support helps make a difference to this invaluable charity and the people it cares for. Many members of the Pennyfarthing team, including myself, also enjoy taking part in the Oakhaven Walk themselves; it’s a special event that brings people together in a meaningful and uplifting way, celebrating the strength and spirit of our community.”
To everyone who walked, volunteered, cheered, and donated this year: thank you. The £187,000 raised will make a lasting difference to families across New Forest, Totton and Waterside, and we are proud to have helped make it possible.
