FROM children to pensioners, people of all ages put on their walking boots for a worthy cause at the weekend.

Dozens descended on Hexham Racecourse on Sunday morning for a hike through the beautiful countryside of Hexhamshire.

The 10-mile walk, mapped out with the help of David Ratcliff, took a circular route, starting and finishing at the racecourse.

The family challenge, supported by the Hexham Courant , helped mark the 10th anniversary of the creation of Josie’s Dragonfly Trust.

And it was blessed with ideal early autumn weather to guarantee spectacular views for those who tackled the route which took them through open countryside and woodland.

The charity was founded in 2007 in memory of Josie Grove, from Corbridge, shortly after she died of leukaemia, with the aim of brightening the lives of young cancer patients and create happy memories for their families to treasure.

Registration fees and sponsorship money raised at Sunday’s walk will help fund the work done across the country by the Hexham-based charity.

The trust provides cash gifts to children and young people, enabling them to do something special in the time they have left. Having their own money to spend provides these young patients with a sense of empowerment, giving back a little control when they often feel like this has been taken away by their illness.

It can create ‘Dragonfly Dreams’ when young people have a very specific request but have no means or contact to make it happen. Josie’s Dragonfly Trust’s team of special volunteers are able to do this at very short notice and put everything in place for the recipient and their family. The requests can be anything from receiving a call from a football legend, to meeting a VIP, or arranging a very special photoshoot.

Sometimes, when a young person’s illness progresses faster than their family had hoped, a ‘Footprint Fund’ fund can be established to provide in memoriam grants to enable the families of these young patients to celebrate their child’s life, mark their achievements, or create something special in their memory.

In addition to a cash gift or Dragonfly Dream, young patients can order a personalised glass heart to pass on as a parting gift to loved ones. Each heart is lasered with a hand written message, drawing or handprint from the young person to create a very personal gift which their family can treasure forever.

The trust also sends out activity boxes to 25 children’s and young people’s cancer wards across the UK.

For information on the work done by the trust or how you can support it, visit the website www.josiesdragonfly.org