AN ESTIMATED £55,000 has been raised by the Orwell Walk, it was announced today. Held on Sunday, 1,020 people took part in the sponsored ramble through the Suffolk countryside.

AN ESTIMATED £55,000 has been raised by the Orwell Walk, it was announced today.

Held on Sunday, 1,020 people took part in the sponsored ramble through the Suffolk countryside.

The annual event, now in its 31st year, is organised by the Rotary Club of Ipswich East and gives people the chance to raise money for their chosen charity.

An estimated total of £55,000 was raised by individuals who walked from 12 to 25 miles from Gainsborough Sports Centre, Maryon road, Ipswich and back again along the banks of the River Orwell.

25 per cent of the money raised by each walker goes towards the Rotary Club who then donate the money to help local charities.

The Rotary Club secretary, Keith Harris, said: “We were so lucky with the day, the weather was absolutely wonderful.

The majority of people made it around without any difficulty and it was a great day.”

All the participants earned themselves a certificate, including a determined four year old girl who had managed to walk 11 miles.

Mr Harris said: “When she came back in with her mother it was quite late in the day but she was so excited about getting her certificate.

She seemed elated by her achievement and it was lovely to see.”

Sally Wainman, 58, of Hatfield Road, Ipswich, took part in the walk for the second time on Sunday and raised £80 for The Bible Society, a national charity helping to provide bibles for teenagers in Ghana.

She left the Gainsborough Sports Centre at 7.15am and arrived back 12 hours later at 7.15pm.

She said: “The last six hours were quite hard going, I kept thinking that all I had to do was walk to a specific time rather than a distance.

It was a wonderful day and it was very beautiful as well but I do feel really stiff now, it's a huge effort.”

Did you take part in the Orwell Walk? What do you think? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk