A FIVE hour church walk raised nearly £8,000 for charity.

The 19th annual walk on Saturday (April 21) made £7,995 for BCU Life Skills Centre, which helps the homeless and out-of-work Despite a gloomy forecast, the weather held out and twenty one walkers and a dog left off from St John’s Church in Welling at 10.15am with the support of Bexleyheath and Crayford MP David Evennett and Mayor of Bexley, Councillor Ray Sams.

The walkers made it to Christ Church in Bexleyheath at 3.30pm after lunch at Belvedere Baptist Church and tea at the monastery in Erith.

George Birchall, who has been on the organising committee with wife Rheta since the event started, said: “Numbers were down this year but not sponsorship, which was a record £7,995.

Chairman of BCU Lifeskills Tia Giles, 52, dressed as a clown and shaved her head to boost the fundraising total.