People are being encouraged to ‘move it’ and join in with an energetic charity event being held for the second year running.

On Easter Sunday last year, Raoul Monks ran six laps of a circuit around Houghton, St Ives and the Hemingfords – 36 miles in total – and invited people to join him.

Together with a London to Brighton 100k run by Raoul, it raised hundreds of pounds for Crohn’s and Colitis UK in memory of his friend who had Crohn’s disease.

This time, Raoul has a team of organisers and they are hoping even more people will take part, and have renamed the fundraiser ‘Move It Houghton and Wyton’.

“The idea is to get more of the community involved and to get people moving – not just running, also jogging, walking or cycling,” said the father-of-two.

“They could even do a pub crawl over five or six hours. The whole thing is just about getting people moving in groups, with friends. Bring the kids and the dog.

“Hopefully this will grow and people will see it as an annual event.”

Once again, it will be held on Easter Sunday, April 5, starting from the clock tower in Houghton at 10am.

Raoul, who is 36, will be running and intends to complete seven laps, but anyone can join in at any point on the route at any time.

A children’s fun run is also planned, as well as a treasure hunt, stalls selling cakes and bacon rolls, raffles, and live music in the Three Jolly Butcher’s pub in Houghton.

It costs nothing to enter, but sponsorship is encouraged and funds raised will go towards East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and Amelia’s Appeal, set up by a Houghton family whose daughter has an inoperable brain tumour in aid of research into the disease.

Anyone interested is also invited to join training runs, which start from the Houghton clock tower at 10am on Sundays.

INFORMATION: For more details and to register to take part, visit www.moveithoughtonandwyton.co.uk.