FIVE accountants from Worcester will be counting footsteps rather than figures when they swap their suits for walking boots.

Bishop Fleming colleagues Julian Carroll, Shaun Mooney, Chris Ireland, Phil Redgate and Ian Smith will be taking part in St Richard’s Hospice annual Worcestershire Way walk, which covers 31 hilly miles in a day to raise money to help the local hospice care for patients at the end of their lives. The team shouldn’t have problems with directions as this will be Mr Carroll's third time on the walk and Mr Smith's sixth.

The event, organised each year by St Richard’s, gives the opportunity to walk the whole of the Worcestershire way in a day to support hospice care across the county. Starting at 6am in Bewdley, walkers stride out across the Worcestershire countryside before a tough finish on the slopes of the Malvern Hills.

Mr Smith, a partner at Bishop Fleming, said: “All of our lives, at some stage, are impacted by cancer and other serious illnesses, so we wanted to support the great work that St Richard’s does to care for patients and their families. On the day of the walk, we are sure that it will be a challenge to ignore the temptations of my local, the Talbot at Knightwick, but we will be more than compensated with the spectacular scenery and the knowledge that our families, friends, colleagues and clients are all supporting our challenge.”

Alison Parkes, senior fundraiser at St Richard’s Hospice, added: “This event has been running now for 11 years and is always very popular. Some of our dedicated supporters take on the Worcestershire Way challenge year after year and there is always a great team spirit and camaraderie. This isn’t an event for the faint hearted, and we certainly recommend some training beforehand."