A SPONSORED walk on the picturesque Greensand Way long distance trail with the Mayor of Waverley, Mike Band raised more than £2,000 for the Surrey Hills Trust Fund, with donations still coming in.

The Surrey Hills Society organised the walk over two weekends in September, with sponsored walkers enjoyed a 12-mile hike each Sunday in the Surrey Hills, starting out from Haslemere.

Councillor Band chose the charities to raise funds sfor during his mayoral year. Walkers getting fit and doing their bit for the trust’s fund started from Haslemere Town Hall the first weekend and ended the challenge at Duke of Kent School, in Ewhurst, on the second, with a free celebration tea provided by the school.

The Greensand Way starts in Haslemere and ends 108 miles later by the coast in Kent, but the sponsored walk took in the Surrey Hills and its views.

Mr Band said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of walking through the Surrey Hills AONB and realised how important it is that we conserve our beautiful countryside for future generations. Thank you to all those who supported our challenge to raise a substantial sum for the trust fund.”

A spokesman added the trust’s fund will be using the money to help conservation projects aimed at “making sure the Surrey Hills remain as special and protected as they currently are”.

You can still show your support for the mayor and others people who joined the walk by donating at: bt.com/fundraisers/surreyhillssponsoredwalk.

The society is the charitable arm that promotes the enjoyment and care of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) protected landscape.

It runs a variety of events, walks and talks for its members and supports conservation projects in the area.

For details about the society, email [email protected] or log on to www.surreyhillssociety.org

The Greensand Way is a picturesque, hilly, long distance trail developed by the Ramblers in 1947, starting in Haslemere town centre and continuing for 55 miles across Surrey into Kent.

From Haslemere, it passes the Devil’s Punchbowl at Hindhead, traverses the Surrey hills of Hascombe, Reynards, Pitch, Holmbury and Leith Hills, before descending north to Dorking, Reigate and on into Kent just beyond Limpsfield.

The 108-mile route ends on the coast in Kent. Downloadable maps and information can be found at www.surr eycc.gov.uk/greensandway