THE loved ones of a Weston teenager who passed away last year will be tacking a whopping 225 coastal trek this May.

Evie Ruck, who attended Loxton Campus after leaving Worle School in July, passed away on October 8, 2023 following a short battle with cancer.

Evie received care at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI).

On May 5, Evie's mother, Sarah, as well as Evie's stepdad Rob Cox and friends Holly Burrows and Tyler Dew will be setting off on a mammoth walk from Weston to Polzeath.

All proceeds raised will go towards setting up The Monkey Tree Charity, which will help give other families whose loved ones are in the hospital with a safe space to talk, eat and drink.

Evie's Just Giving page reads: "Our aim is to raise enough money to obtain a property within a few minutes walk to the BRI to provide a warm cosy environment to eat/drink/talk with privacy.

"This is something we struggled to find throughout our months stay with Evie. We will also be providing subsidised food and drink for families, as well as support and resources for those who need it."

This isn't the first fundraising event held in Evie's memory. Last month, Evie’s boyfriend Harry Lowe and best friend Harry Gadsden tackled a 24-hour poolathon and raised an impressive £1,889.

The Ruck family said: "Help raise money to set up The Monkey Tree Charity.

"We will start our journey in Weston and follow across the coastal path to Polzeath. 

"This journey is around 225 miles and has as many hills as there are views, hopefully taking us around three weeks to complete.

"We will be carrying everything on our backs and camping in tents along the way.

"Please head over to our Just Giving page to donate.

"We want to say a massive thank you for all the support we have had already over the past months."

The group is on the lookout for businesses to sponsor their charity challenge. Businesses that do sponsor the group could have their name featured on their t-shirts or hats, as well as receive special mentions on their Instagram and in the paper.