HOMELESS people were joined by school students for a five-mile charity walk from Hengistbury Head in aid of Julia’s House children’s hospice.

The Big Issue Beach Walk saw vendors and staff from the Big Issue office on Poole Hill in Bournemouth joined by students and staff from Ringwood School for the event which ended at Bournemouth Pier and raised over £400.

Carly Redwood, sales and outreach worker for The Big Issue Bournemouth, said: “It went well. I am proud of all of the people who took part and it was a great day.

“We walked to Urban Reef in Boscombe, where they kindly provided lunch for us and excluding that time, we probably did it in about three hours. Some of the students from Ringwood School also went back to Hengistbury Head afterwards, so they did double the distance.

“On the day, we carried buckets and collected £43, we have £75 online and one of the vendors has collected £300 in pledges on a paper form.

“While we were waiting to leave, a lady came up to ask what we were doing and why and when a vendor told her, she said that her daughter was currently staying at the hospice and so she really appreciated what we were doing.”

Some of the students will also be taking on the Big London Night Walk on March 6, which is organised in aid of the Big Issue Foundation.

For more go to Justgiving.com/BigIssueBeachWalk