TWO friends will be walking from Portland Bill to Dorset County Hospital to raise money for the children’s ward.

Mia Fuller, 18, and Hannah Thorn, 19, will be undertaking the 16.5-mile walk to raise money for the Kingfisher Ward tomorrow The ward at Dorset County Hospital (DCH), Dorchester, provides care for children from one month to 16 years old, and is a cause close to both women’s hearts.

Miss Thorn’s 10 month-old son Charlie has spent a lot of time in and out of the unit and staff also helped Miss Fuller when she gave birth to her little boy 22 weeks prematurely in February this year.

Miss Fuller’s son was diagnosed with Dandy Walker’s Syndrome, where a child is born with water on the brain.

She was told her baby would only survive a week.

Miss Thorn, of Great George Street, said: “We always wanted to do something to help the hospital when Mia lost her little boy and I am always down there with Charlie.

“The staff there are really good and we just wanted to do something to help.

“It will be just me and Mia walking. We’re not going to count the money until we have finished. We know there’s already over £100. We will be collecting the money in two days after the event and taking it to the hospital.

“We also put in some of our own money and bought a massive box of toys to give to the children on the ward.”

The women will be walking from Portland Bill and through Weymouth town before heading to Coombe Valley and going on on to Dorchester. They are hoping to miss out the Ridgeway Hill.

Miss Thorn said: “We will be walking 16.5 miles in all, we have been told by the police that we can’t walk on the road as it’s too dangerous.

“When we get there we will probably take a taxi or a bus back. We aren’t going to want to walk.”

The friends are also compiling a thank you book, filled with messages of support from other parents who have had children treated at the Kingfisher ward.

They will be presenting the book to staff when they reach the unit.

To sponsor Hannah and Mia, visit their page on social networking site Facebook by searching for Kingfisher and maternity wards at DCH – Saying thanks!

n catherine.bolado@dorsetecho.co.uk