THE final step in a woman’s recovery from cancer will see friends and family complete a fundraising walk with her this Saturday.

Claire Roby was inspired to organise the ‘Jenkin’s Jaunt’ walk with her friend Sara Jenkins who is in the final stages of her two year battle with breast cancer.

The two friends plan to walk from Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester to Weymouth’s The Famous Old Spa Pub to raise around £200 toward Sara’s final treatment following her mastectomy.

The walk will be followed by an auction, raffle and karaoke at the pub.

Additional money raised will be split equally between cancer charities the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Dorchester Town Crier Alistair Chisholm will start the walk at the Top o’ Town pump at 2.15pm.

Support has grown to include 20 family and friends joining the walk.

Mrs Roby said: “The idea came about when Sara needed small private treatment and we needed the extra money because the NHS doesn’t provide it.

“So we thought of a small walk just for me and her to raise enough money for the final treatment.”

The occupational therapist at Weymouth Community Hospital added: “The sponsored walk for Sara’s treatment was the initial idea but because so many people wanted to join us we have got over and beyond what was needed for her treatment so we decided we wanted to do it for the two cancer charities as well.”

Mrs Jenkins said she had been bowled over by the support shown by people for the event.

The housewife said: “This is like the final stage of my recovery. I’ve had a lot of surgery and this is the last little bit, but I have to pay for it and with three kids and all my dogs we decided to do the walk to raise the money needed for the treatment.”

She added: “I think the response has been brilliant. The more we spoke to people the more people wanted to join in and because it has got bigger we thought it would be nice to have entertainment after the walk.”

Prizes for the auction including a Haven holiday, a home cooked meal for four by Marshall catering and a slave for the day.

West Stafford golfer raises £5,000 for Juila's House

A father who cycled more than a thousand miles on a golf themed charity bike ride has raised more than £5,000.

Keen golfer Steve Walton, from West Stafford, visited all the venues that have hosted the Ryder Cup in mainland Britain as he peddled his way from Came Down Golf Club to Muirfield in Scotland.

The captain of The Dorset Golf and Country Club took on the 1,200 mile journey to raise money for Julia’s House children’s hospice.

Dad of two Steve, 49, took ten days to complete his challenge and was delighted with the hospitality he was shown by all the golf clubs.

Steve’s friend Phil Nedley, or ‘Ned’, acted as support driver for the trip, with a van donated by ARC of Dorchester.

He was also keen to thank all the other organisations and people that had sponsored him or helped with fundraising.

Steve said: “The ride went better than I could have imagined and I could not have done it without my friend Ned who was my support driver, he navigated, cooked and was just fantastic.

“Experiencing the tradition of the old clubs was a highlight and the hospitality and welcomes I received were incredible.

“The support of my village West Stafford and the members of The Dorset Golf and Country Club has been so amazing.”

Steve collected golf ball markers from the venues and they will be auctioned.

Steve’s fundraising total stands at £5,796. Donations are still being taken online at www.justgiving.com/ Steve-Walton3

Weymouth fundraisers skydive for charity

A MUM-OF-THREE overcame her fear of heights to fall from a plane in the name of charity.

Kate Bean completed a skydive for the Baldies Appeal for Dorset County Hospital’s Digital Mammography Unit.

She raised £374.15 for the cause by falling 20,000 feet to earth as a member of a group of Weymouth fundraisers who were skydiving for different causes.

Weymouth Pavilion worker Mrs Bean, 45, said: “I’m seriously scared of heights. I wanted to do something that I never thought I would be able to do.”

Mrs Bean was inspired to raise money for the Baldies Appeal by her friend Anne-Marie Male who is suffering from breast cancer.

The skydivers, who all came from the Weymouth area, did their jump at Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury with instructors from Skydive South Coast.

Mrs Bean said: “I didn’t speak for the first time in my life. The hardest thing was getting out of the door. When you hit the ground it’s fantastic.”

Weymouth hairdresser Anne-Marie paid tribute to Kate’s fundraising efforts.

She said: “We are all grateful that she chose our appeal and for doing what she did.”

Also free-falling for funds was Caroline Pollard of Weymouth.

She raised £330 for cerebral palsy causes after working with Ethan Barrett, the young son of skydive organiser Cheryl Barrett.

Miss Pollard, 46, said: “Cheryl’s son has cerebral palsy and I worked one-on-one with him.

Chickadees nursery assistant Miss Pollard said she would recommend doing a skydive.

She said: “It happened so quickly and was so exhilarating.

“As soon as we landed I wanted to go up and do it all over again.”