Raising Pounds for Pete and Weston Park Cancer Charity

2nd June 2016

A group of local walkers are setting foot down south, up north and back home to raise vital funds for a Sheffield cancer charity.

The group known as 'Horsfield's Hikers' are preparing to walk 170 miles over ten days this July in aid of Weston Park Cancer Charity. Training is well underway and the hikers are determined to complete the challenging walk to remember a much-loved friend and family member who lost his brave and determined battle with cancer. Walk organiser Adam Oxley said: "The inspiration for this walk is one of my dad's best and oldest friends, my 'Uncle' Pete Horsfield. Pete sadly passed away in October 2014 after battling bowel cancer for a few years. In the end it all happened quite quickly and it obviously left a massive hole in many lives, particularly Pete's wife Mel, his two children Nick and Fran, his daughter-in-law Hannah, and his other family and friends. "Sadly Pete is the second of my dad's close friends to pass away through cancer over recent years and in 2011, I completed a walking challenge for two other local Sheffield charities in memory of my 'Uncle' Terry. After Pete passed away, I wanted to do another challenge to raise money for his family's chosen local charity - Weston Park - to support the vital work the cancer charity do, and to remember Pete with his family and friends. "The route takes place in three locations around England, all places of significance in Pete's life, starting in Cornwall where Pete spent many a happy holiday. From there we'll travel north to walk the entirety of Hadrian's Wall, finishing in the north east where Pete loved to visit. The final leg of the walk will be back in the Sheffield area, starting at his home in Dronfield, working our way through part of the Peak District and finishing at Hillsborough, the home of Pete's beloved Sheffield Wednesday FC, on Sunday 10 July - the birthday I shared with Pete. Weston Park Hospital is one of only a handful of specialist cancer hospitals in England and treats patients from all over South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire a population of almost 1.8million people. Weston Park Cancer Charity is the only dedicated charity for the hospital and exists to support the world-class cancer research and to improve the treatment and care for people living with cancer. Adam continued, "My previous walking challenge was about 90 miles over three days between Filey and Sheffield. I learnt so much during that walk, notably the importance of wearing the right footwear and putting in the miles beforehand - neither of which I got right! I'm looking forward to the challenge itself and spending time with family and friends, but getting up each morning will be increasingly difficult so I'll need lots of financial and emotional support. "I want to better the £3,268 fundraising total from my previous walk and raise awareness of the fantastic work done by Weston Park Hospital, in memory of a man in Pete Horsfield who brought so many laughs and good times into our lives." People can follow the hikers' progress on Twitter @HorsfieldHikers or on the Horsfield's Hikers Facebook page. To donate to the group and give vital funds for Weston Park Cancer Charity, visit www.justgiving.com/HorsfieldsHikers or text 'HORS91' with £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070. For more information or to get involved and support the cancer charity's vital work visit www.wphcancercharity.org.uk or call the charity office on 01142265370.