MAKING HEADWAY: Above - David Toorawa and fellow parishioners from Adeyfield pictured on their Norfolk coastal walk.
A Group of keen walkers from a Hemel Hempstead Church have raised more than £1400 for the Hospice of St Francis.
The Our Lady's Walkers, six parishioners at the Church of Our Lady Queen of All Creation in Adeyfield, took on the 73 mile challenge of the Norfolk Coastal Path over seven days from April 18.
David Toorawa, a retired Hemel Hempstead GP and a trustee of the Hospice of St Francis is among the walkers who raised the cash.
He said: "I have been involved with the hospice throughout my professional life as a GP in Hemel, becoming a trustee there six or seven years ago. I have seen what it does, from referring my own patients to them and from working with them."
All the funds raised by the walkers will be split between the church needs and the Dig Deep fund for the hospice.
David added: "I'm well aware of the needs of the hospice, especially this year, because of my position there.
"The care of the dying needs to be a five star service and without establishments like the Hospice of St Francis it often falls very far short of five star."
He added that through his experience as a GP he learnt that the specialist requirements of the terminally ill require places like the hospice, as the NHS cannot provide the same level of service.
The walkers, David and his wife Monica, John and Ruth Clarke and Jack and Ethna Hough, all walk regularly and practiced for the challenge.
In the last five years the Our Lady's Walkers have raised around £8,800 for the church and local charities.
Above -Tony Purdy (right) with son David and Penny Bird of The Hospice of St Francis.
A pair of Hemel Hempstead bikers are revving up ready to support the Dig Deep campaign for the Hospice of St Francis.
Father and son petrol heads Tony and David Purdy will be setting off on an end to end ride from John 0'Groats to Lands End on May 28.
Tony, 48, of Honeycross Road said: "I have been riding bikes for over 30 years and I now ride a scooter, while David has a large bike. We're doing it in conjunction with the Vespa Club of Britain so there will be about ten of us riding together.
"The whole trip is going to take about five days traveling about 250 miles a day. We hope to raise about £2000 for the hospice."
Tony, a committee member of the Vespa club of Britain, added that his son David's interest in bikes was inevitable.
"It was a natural progression, he could ride bikes from the day he could walk and we got him into motor cross as a school boy," he said.
Tony has strong personal reasons for supporting the hospice.
He said: "On January 19 my older brother died in the hospice after having been ill for only four months.
Both Tony and David work for GE health care in Amersham, long term supporters of the hospice.
Tony said: "GE health-care has always supported the hospice and has been very supportive of us. GE will be covering our costs during the event. It's something so close to my family that we thought we should do what we can."
Liz Richards of the Hospice said: "This is a tremendous effort by Tony and David to ride their motor bikes from John O'Groats to Lands End, achieving not only a great ambition but also raising much needed funds for the Hospice.
"The support they have received from GE Healthcare in Amersham, where they work, is also invaluable both to Tony and David and to the Hospice."
She added: "The generosity of the staff and the company over the past few years has been fantastic. This is also a great example of how people can raise funds in memory of loved ones to provide care for our loved ones in the future. Thanks guys, ride safely and we hope the sun shines on you."
To sponsor Tony and David, log on to www.justgiving.com/endtwoend
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