A GROUP braved the elements to stride out to raise money for a charity close to their hearts.

A team of seven walkers set off from The Swallow, in Pilgrims Way, on17 March, on a fundraising walk in memory of Jason Hathaway, who died in March 2017 from a heart attack aged just 49, led by his partner, Nicky McGovern.

The team of seven: Nicky; her sister, Lisa Burnett; Nicky’s daughter Phoebe Hathaway, 13; her best friend Grace Chandler, 14; Caryn Harris; Thelma Hanlon and Tammy Dewhurst has so far raised more than £800, smashing the target of £500, in aid of the British Heart Foundation and to spread awareness of heart conditions.

The group, many of whom are Slimming World members, took on a circular route to Picket Twenty playing fields, along and through Harewood Forest when the snow began to bite, before coming back through the playing fields again and returning to the pub.

Nicky said: “I decided to do this walk as it was the one year anniversary of Jay’s death on the 21 March. We only did 10 miles as my six-year-old daughter was going to walk with us but the weather was too bad for her to join us.”

Last September, Nicky led a walk of 15 miles in Jason’s memory and raised over £1,000.

Jason was a father to four girls and also a grandfather-of-four who worked as a taxi driver for Andover Cars.

To donate, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/nicola-mcgovern1.