Kenneth’s Remarkable 101st Birthday Walk
When Kenneth Essex decided to celebrate his 101st birthday, he didn’t just blow out candles on a cake. Instead, this remarkable centenarian laced up his walking shoes and set himself a challenge: 10 kilometres in 10 days to support hospices across the UK.
His extraordinary effort raised over £6,000 for Hospice Aid UK and proves that age truly is just a number when it comes to making a difference.
From Hinckley to The Beatles
Kenneth wasn’t just any fundraiser. As former principal viola of the London Symphony Orchestra in the 1960s, he’d spent his life bringing music to millions. Born in Hinckley, Leicestershire, the son of a local baker, Kenneth’s journey took him from small-town beginnings to the world’s most prestigious concert halls.
His viola became part of pop music history when he played on The Beatles’ 1965 hit “Yesterday”, the legendary band’s first recording to feature a string quartet. Alongside violinists Antony Gilbert and Sidney Sax, and cellist Francis Gabarro, Kenneth helped create one of the most covered songs in music history. His distinctive sound can also be heard in film scores including “Angela’s Ashes” and “Love Is the Devil.”
Yet despite rubbing shoulders with The Beatles and contributing to countless recordings that touched millions of lives, those who knew Kenneth best remember something else entirely: his warmth, humour, and remarkable humility.
“He had no airs or graces at all,” his daughter Liz Golding recalls fondly. “He was still the son of a baker from Hinckley. He was just an ordinary person. Although he was enormously talented, you wouldn’t know it from speaking to him because he didn’t really appreciate what high regard he was held in by the rest of the music profession.”
The Power of Simple Acts
What made Kenneth’s fundraising so special wasn’t just the impressive total he raised. It was the reminder that we’re never too old to make a meaningful contribution. At 101, when many might think their fundraising days are behind them, Kenneth showed us all what’s possible with a bit of determination and a cause close to your heart.
Fellow musicians speak of a man who was “generous, kind, funny and welcoming”, someone with a wonderful memory who told amazing stories. “So many have said how much they’re going to miss his phone calls,” Liz shares. This was a man who, having played on one of the most famous recordings in history, still took time to ring friends for a chat.
His 10-kilometre journey wasn’t just measured in steps, it was measured in the difference those funds would make to hospices providing essential end-of-life care across the UK.
A Birthday Serenade to Remember
Perhaps the most touching moment of Kenneth’s 101st birthday came when fellow viola players surprised him with a musical rendition of Happy Birthday. “Dad’s face was wonderful,” Liz remembers. For a man who’d spent decades making music with others, being serenaded by his musical family on his 101st birthday while completing his charity walk created a perfect circle of giving and receiving.
It’s these moments of joy and connection that remind us all why hospice support matters so deeply.
It’s about preserving dignity, enabling precious moments, and ensuring no one faces their final journey alone.
Creating Your Own Legacy
Kenneth’s birthday walk reminds us that supporting hospices can take many forms. Whether you’re 21 or 101, there’s always a way to contribute:
Fundraising activities don’t need to be extreme challenges. Like Kenneth, you might walk a certain distance over several days, organise a birthday fundraiser, or turn any personal milestone into an opportunity to support hospice care.
Leaving a gift in your willensures hospices can continue providing compassionate care long into the future. It’s a profound way to create lasting impact, helping families during their most difficult times.
Memory giving, as Kenneth’s family chose, transforms grief into something positive. When we donate in someone’s memory, we honour their life whilst supporting others.
From Yesterday to Tomorrow
The man who helped create the memorable strings on “Yesterday” spent his final birthday creating tomorrows for hospice patients across the UK. Kenneth Essex proved that whether you’re making history with The Beatles or making a difference at 101, what matters is the willingness to contribute what you can, when you can.
His story shows us that fundraising isn’t about grand gestures or athletic feats. It’s about caring enough to act, whatever your age or ability. Kenneth’s 10-day walk continues to inspire others to ask themselves: “What could I do to fundraise for UK hospices?”
Your Turn to Make a Difference
How will you support hospice care? Whether it’s organising your own fundraising challenge, considering a gift in your will, or simply sharing Kenneth’s inspiring story, every action makes a difference to hospices providing vital end-of-life care across the UK.
