TWO sisters from Malvern are getting ready to tackle the Malvern Hills this weekend in memory of their “amazing dad” who died earlier this year.

Vanessa Portman and sister Victoria Cooper are taking on the St Richard’s Hospice Malvern Hills Walk this weekend, in its 36th year since the event began.

The sisters, aged 34 and 35, are raising funds for the Worcestershire hospice which cared for their dad, Keith Portman, before he died of cancer in May.

Miss Portman said: "We received amazing care and support from St Richard's from the moment dad was diagnosed in May 2019 to his final days in May this year.

"We formed a great relationship and bond with our nurses and we truly couldn’t have got through this without their support."

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Keith was cared for by both the hospice’s Community Nursing and In-patient Unit Teams and Miss Portman added: "We’ve always been very aware that St Richard’s offers its remarkable care to local families for free, with only a small amount of funding from the NHS.

The wider family first started fundraising for the hospice back in 2018 by holding a 1920s themed night at the Three Counties Showground, which raised £1000.

The following year we held an afternoon tea at Mount Pleasant Hotel, in Malvern, raising another £1000.

St Richard’s Malvern Hills Walk is running as a virtual event this year, meaning that supporters can enjoy a socially distanced five or 11-mile walk at a date to suit them in the months of July or August.

Jayne Sargeant, hospice fundraiser, said: "We are so inspired by Vanessa and Victoria’s fantastic fundraising efforts to date.

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"Of course, it means even more at the current time with most of our summer events cancelled and our charity shops only just starting to reopen.

"With around three quarters of our funding coming from our wonderful community and supporters; we really couldn’t continue to provide free care and support without amazing people like Vanessa and Victoria.

"So, we’d love others to join them and dig out those walking boots to help support our care this summer."

For more about the sisters' fundraising efforts, head to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vanessa-portman-victoria-cooper

For more about the St Richard’s Hospice Malvern Hills Walk, go to www.strichards.org.uk/event/malvern-hills-walk/.