College Queen walks in memory of Gran

Leigh, who is also the UK Carnival Queen, hopes to complete the walk, on Saturday June 25, to raise money for the Pilgrims Hospice at Ashford.

The charity aims to set a world record for the largest number of people taking part in a pyjama walk.

Leigh, 16, who has previously held the title of Miss Folkestone, has a very personal reason for taking part as her grandma passed away at the Ashford hospice.

She said: “The hospice is very dear to my heart and I want to use my role as UK Carnival Queen to help raise funds. I was involved last year’s walk and thoroughly enjoyed taking part and raising funds and wanted to do it again.”

Leigh who is juggling GCSEs with her Carnival duties has decided to complete the walk in Disney pyjamas. She said: “I will wear the full regalia for photographs but change for the 10k walk. I’ll be wearing Disney pyjamas because I was crowned UK Carnival Queen in Disneyland Paris.”

Proud Mum Heather who will also be donning her Pyjamas and walking with her daughter, said: “Both my daughters have raised funds over the years for the hospices. A few years back they put together a show at the aptly named ‘Sinden Theatre’ in Tenterden and raised £2,500 for the charity. The show was called A Night for Jean after their grandma.”

The sponsored walk is aiming to raise £100k for Pilgrims Hospices. Services are free of charge to the 2000 people in east Kent who use them each year, but cost around £9 million to provide.

Nigel Donkin, Regional Fundraising Manager said “With just a couple of weeks to go until the Pilgrims Hospices Pyjama Walk, we are calling on the local community to pull on their pyjamas and sign up.

“There will be lots of entertainment throughout the evening, including music from the talented Highworth Jazz Orchestra and the 80 strong Whitstable Community Samba band, the night is set to be one to remember.”

To register go to www.pilgrimshospices.org or call 01227 782062.