EIGHT colleagues are teaming up to trek 15 miles for Weston Hospicecare in the Mercury Mendip Challenge next month. The group has nicknamed themselves 'The Reluctant Ramblers' and all eight are employed by financial services firm HBOS in Clevedon. The tea

EIGHT colleagues are teaming up to trek 15 miles for Weston Hospicecare in the Mercury Mendip Challenge next month.The group has nicknamed themselves 'The Reluctant Ramblers' and all eight are employed by financial services firm HBOS in Clevedon.The team also includes 12-year-old Daniel Kenny. The nine fund-raisers will be walking from Shipham to Uphill to help raise funds for the hospice.Sarah Chidwick, HBOS operations team manager, said: "We decided to take part in the Mercury Mendip Challenge after talking about walking at work. We thought it would be a great team experience and a perfect opportunity to help raise funds for the hospice."The event, supported by the Weston & Somerset Mercury, takes place on June 3.Penny Beare, fund-raising and communications manager at the hospice, which is based at Jackson Barstow House in Uphill, said: "I would like to thank The Reluctant Ramblers for signing up to take part in the challenge."This is our largest fund-raising event in the calendar and we would like to invite as many people as possible to sign up for the walk and help support the hospice." The charity is providing a free bus service from its Jackson Barstow House to the various route starting points on the day. After the walk, which ends at the hospice, there will be a barbecue with live music.Penny added: "There is a 30-mile route starting from Wells, a 20-mile walk from Cheddar, a 15-mile route from Shipman and a 10-mile route, beginning at Kingswood near Winscombe. "A five-mile fancy dress event will also take place along Weston seafront on the same day." Last year the charity raised more than £45,000 from the event and this year it hopes to beat that amount. Anyone who wants to take part in the Mercury Mendip Challenge can visit the website www.westonhospicecare.org.uk/mendipwalk or call 01934 423900 for more details and an entry form.Forms are also available from Weston Hospicecare's shops in Weston, Worle, Winscombe and Cheddar, the Mercury's reception desk in Waterloo Street, and the charity's headquarters in Uphill.