A fundraising family has raised £700 for a memorial fund by pounding the footpaths east of Petersfield.

Charity starts at home for the Dawes family as they’ve raised more than £87,000 for the Bone Cancer Research Trust since a tragic loss in February 2021.

Brave youngster Ellison Dawes was just eleven when he died from Ewing Sarcoma following a ten-month battle against the disease. Ellison’s Fund was founded in his memory to raise money for vital life-saving research with previous activities including London Marathon runs.

Their latest fundraiser took place early this month when family members from afar as Wiltshire and Bristol travelled to Petersfield to join a 10k circular walk from the Herne Farm family home.

They certainly attracted attention as the orange-wearing fundraisers were given a rousing send-off by town crier, Faye Thompson, before a fundraising trek which took in Sky Park Farm, West Harting and Goose Green Lane.

Their fundraising brainchild is Ellison’s grandfather, Tony Dawes, as he wanted to get the family together and “do something positive” in memory of the youngster.

He said: “We’re raising awareness and remembering Ellison, who would have been 16 in May.

“What we’re trying to do each year is have a walk or marathon or something to raise money.”

More than 30 family members and relatives, all wearing orange, took part in the walk to raise funds and sarcoma awareness.

“This is grandpa’s thing but we’re all in it,” said Ellison’s mother, Becky.

“We’re going to try and get to the £100,000 mark. Last year we did a walk in the Cotswolds where Ellison grew up but this area is where he came from.

“I think it’s quite a good thing to do and if we can have it annually then that’s great.”

To donate visit https://specialfunds.bcrt.org.uk/ellisons-fund/