Power to the Pendletons
(Herald Express 21/2/2008)

GIRL POWER: girls from Hemel Hempstead School who are walking in aid of The Hospice of St Francis.

A group of Hemel Hempstead teenagers are the latest recruits to sign up to the Hospice of St Francis’ midnight charity event, Walk with the Stars. The 10 teens from Hemel Hempstead School, who have named themselves the Pendletons - after a mixture of school house names - will be hitting the streets of Dacorum on Saturday, June 21 for the women-only, midnight, 13-mile walk from Hemel Hempstead to Berkhamsted and back again.

One of the walkers, Ruth Middlebrook, 16, said she decided to sign up after seeing a Walk with the Stars leaflet in the school reception. She said: "We are very keen to support The Hospice of St Francis. "All 10 of us have in some way been affected by losing someone close to us to cancer."

The school will be the start and finish venue for the walk.
Organiser of the event, Fran Martin, said she was delighted the girls had signed up. "We are very grateful to Miss Samwell the head teacher, her staff and all the pupils who are supporting Walk with the Stars 2008. "Having Hemel Hempstead School as our start and finish venue is wonderful and the space available allows us to register even more walkers than last year. I would encourage all girls who are aged 11 and over to form a team like The Pendletons and take to the streets."

Fran added it is not just girls she wants on board: "In order for the safe running of our event, we need male marshals and registration personnel so please contact the fundraising department on 01442 869555 if you an help in any way," she said.