A PARADE of women is set to hit Weymouth seafront for the third annual Midnight Walk.

Organisers at the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust hope to raise more than £100,000 from the fundraiser on Saturday, August 22.

Now they have appealed for women to sign up for the New Look- sponsored event as soon as possible.

Sue Leighton, who is Weldmar’s major events fundraising manager, said: “People can walk in memory of a loved one or a colleague, or simply because they want to raise money for Weldmar.

“So many people are touched by disease these days. It’s not just cancer, there’s motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease and other diseases.

“Weldmar also does so much and there are many different aspects to the charity.”

Some 1,024 walkers took part in last year’s event. This year, walkers can tackle a 10km or 6km walk from the Pavilion to Overcombe Corner and back.

Jo Richards and Sarah Breaks, both from Sutton Poyntz, will again lead the walkers. They were first chosen to lead the Midnight Walk after completing their own sponsored trek along the Jurassic Coast in memory of their friend Jo Davies.

Fashion giant New Look, which is based in Mercery Road, Weymouth, has sponsored this year’s event. It has paid for purple T-shirts for the walkers but will also donate items for goodie bags.

Debbie Kay, who works in the finance department at New Look and has battled breast cancer, urged women to take part.

“Weldmar is a fantastic charity and needs to raise a lot of money to operate each year. I walked last year and I will be walking this year with my daughter Samantha Kay and her friend Daisy Stringer.”

Laura Stone also works at New Look and is a member of the Weymouth-based Ladies Alive fundraising group.

She said: “It is a great atmosphere on the Midnight Walk with so many women taking part.

Organisers also want partners and husbands to volunteer to help out on the night and act as marshals along the route.

Go to http://www.weld-hospice.org.uk/support-weldmar/donate/events-calendar/midnight-walk/ to download an entry form.

Call 01305 215315 to enter or sponsor the event.