Every year since 2008, thousands of women have put their best foot forward under the light of the stars to raise money for St Catherine's Hospice.

This year, on Saturday July 14th, the fifth annual Midnight Walk, sponsored by Welland Medical, is set to take place in Horsham, and local ladies are being encouraged to sign up now for the charitable half marathon - for what is sure to be a night to remember.

The Midnight Walk has raised over £500,000 over the years in much needed funds, to help ensure St Catherine's Hospice is there to provide care and comfort for patients and their loved ones when it's needed most. St Catherine's has been the local hospice for most of East Surrey for almost 30 years, and in 2009 began providing this specialist support to the people of Tandridge, opening a day hospice in Caterham and providing community and practical care nurses who visit patients and family in their own homes.

To help launch the call for entries this year, staff and volunteers from the fundraising team gathered at the hospice's shop in Caterham, to hand out flyers and spread the word.

Midnight Walk organiser Jen Wickham says, "For our fifth year walk, we are pulling out all the stops to make sure it's our best ever. We really hope over 1,100 ladies of all ages will sign up. It's a great opportunity to team up with friends, family, work or school mates to do something out of the ordinary for your local hospice and make a huge difference to the lives of people across the area."

The Walk starts and finishes at Horsham Park and everyone who registers will get a T-Shirt, tips on how to train and raise sponsorship and on the night a well-deserved medal, refreshments and a finishers' breakfast. Although the Midnight Walk is ladies-only, men are encouraged to show their support by volunteering as event marshals for the night.

You can sign up or find out more about volunteering at www.stch.org.uk/midnightwalk, by calling Jen Wickham on 01293 447364 or by picking up an entry form at the hospice shops on Croydon Road, Caterham, London Road, Redhill and Bell Street, Reigate.