(Image: Supplied)
Four directors from a County Durham heating and renewables company are preparing to take on a gruelling 56-mile charity walk to raise funds for Marie Curie.
The team from PHS and 0800 Repair will set off from Killhope, County Durham, on Thursday, October 29, and aim to complete the Weardale Way Challenge, finishing at Durham Cathedral on Friday, October 30.
Directors Phil and Michael Pallister, Jason Oakes, and Liam Hall are taking part in support of Marie Curie, the end-of-life care charity.
Phil and Michael, who are brothers, are walking in memory of their father Chris, who died from lung cancer in October 2024 at the age of 70.
Mr Oakes, partnership director, will walk in memory of his father Brian, who died aged 72 last year after being diagnosed with skin cancer.
Mr Oakes said: "We wanted to organise a charity walk in loving memory of our fathers, but also to raise vital funds for Marie Curie.
"Both of our fathers were similar ages and both passed with cancer.
"We are a small executive team but the impact it has had on us personally and our business is huge.
"In addition, our other directors, Erik Coates and Kevin Nicol, have also had similar experiences and lost their dads to cancer in recent years too, so it is more common than people know.
"We hope that our walk will help to raise awareness but also the great work that Marie Curie does to support people living with terminal illnesses and their families.
"It will be extra poignant for me because when we set off, it will be around the first-year anniversary when I lost my dad."
Colleagues will join the team for the final stretch of the walk into Durham City.
For Phil and Michael, the walk is a chance to remember their father while supporting a cause that has deeply affected their family.
They said: "The walk will be a lovely way to remember both of our dads whilst raising some funds for a very worthwhile charity along the way.
"We’re looking forward to the challenge and would appreciate any support along the way."
Marie Curie provides free nursing and hospice care for people with terminal illnesses, as well as practical and emotional support for families.
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The charity also operates a free support line and campaigns for improvements to end-of-life care.
The directors hope their challenge will not only raise vital funds but also increase awareness of the services Marie Curie offers to families during some of the most difficult times of their lives.
Donations can be made through the team’s JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/phs-charity-walk.