Kicking off an annual event

Sep 12 2007 By Will Oliphant, Birmingham Mail

VILLAGERS in Dickens Heath have taken to their heels to raise £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

About 50 people braved the weather to walk the four-and-half-mile route around the village and surrounding countryside.

This was the first time the walk - which is held annually by Macmillan - has been held in the village but organiser Marguerite Suckley said she hoped it would become a regular event for villagers. "There wasn't any big walks organised in our area so I decided that I would organise one for the village," she said.

"The weather was pretty dull on the day but the atmosphere was great and we had a pretty good turnout from the village considering it was a bank holiday weekend and there were a lot of people away."

Marguerite, who has worked for the NHS for the past 30 years as a medical secretary, said: "People were very generous and we're so grateful to everyone who took part and who turned out on the day."

Property firm Parkridge Homes supported the day by printing up road-signs for the route and helping to organise the event.

Money raised by the event will go to help the work of cancer support workers. Ann Gumery, from Macmillan, said: " Macmillan is a source of support helping with the things that people living with cancer, their carers and their families need."