HINCHINGBROOKE Country Park will again play host to the MS Society s Wheel and Walk fundraising event this year, but organisers want 2010 to bigger and better. In 2009 – the first year of the event – more than 100 people took part completing variou

HINCHINGBROOKE Country Park will again play host to the MS Society's Wheel and Walk fundraising event this year, but organisers want 2010 to bigger and better.

In 2009 - the first year of the event - more than 100 people took part completing various routes on foot, in a wheelchair, scooter or pushchair.

Between them they raised more than �11,000 - a fantastic achievement but one the organisers hope is to smash this year.

The money is split between branches of the MS Society, including Huntingdon's and the MS Therapy Centre in the town, as well as helping to fund vital research at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Chairman of the Hinchingbrooke organising committee, Tony Collett, said they had already received plenty of interest from people wishing to take part.

Mr Collett and the committee all have personal experience of MS, an acute disease of the central nervous system.

Mr Collett's son, Richard, now in his mid-30s, was diagnosed with the incurable condition nine years ago but thanks to an experimental drug he has been well for the past two years and has even run the London Marathon.

"When Richard was first diagnosed it was a huge shock," said Mr Collett. "As with so many diseases, for the fathers and mothers, for the family, there is very little you can do. My background is marketing so I decided to use my skills to help raise funds."

The Hinchingbrooke Wheel and Walk takes place on Sunday, June 20, when participants will be able to set off on one of three courses at the country park: a fully-accessible 3km route, a 5km route or a 10km route.

The day will also include lots of events designed to attract supporters.

There will be a variety of stalls and displays, including performances by the Blue Vision Twirling Team and the Paper Soldiers band. There will also be a display of vintage cars, courtesy of the MG Classic Cars Club, as well as a barbecue, face painting and bouncy castle.

Hinchingbrooke was the first Wheel and Walk event and it has proved so successful that the MS Society has extended it across the country and it is now the charity's flagship, fully-accessible fundraising event.

Get involved:

The Wheel & Walk 2010, which is supported by The Hunts Post, takes place on June 20 at Hinchingbrooke Country Park, starting between 10am and 11am.

Anyone can take part, you just need to call 0870 241 3565 or log on to www.mssociety.org.uk/wheelandwalk to register. After that you can get cracking with the sponsorship.