She may be 92 but nothing is going to stop Paddi Spruyt from lacing up her walking boots to support Gloucestershire's hospice care charity.

Paddi will complete the 5km circular walk at Minchinhampton in aid of Longfield this Friday June 8. As always she will have her trusty hiking poles and her rucksack.

This will be the fifth Longfield Walk Paddi has participated in. She had planned to hang up her walking boots last year but changed her mind.

"I watch the TV and see people with disabilities do amazing things like play sport and I thought 'Paddi you can still walk so you need to do your bit for Longfield, which is an amazing charity. I may have slowed down a bit but I can still do it.

"My maiden name is Phoenix and I am just like a Phoenix bird rising from the ashes!"

She owes her good health to exercise. Paddi, who has seven children, six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, walks every day. She has just returned from a pilgrimage in Holland.

Paddi, who lives in Beeches Green, Stroud, is the oldest member of the Pilgrims of St Francis and has taken part in pilgrimages for more than 40 years.

Her first was in 1977 from Assisi to Rome and since then has walked through France, Spain, Italy and many countries, walking cross country and sleeping at night on monastery floors, school halls or in churches.

Longfield is an important charity to her because hospice at home nurses in Jersey supported her late husband John so that he could fulfil his final wish and die at home.

She moved to Stroud in 1994 to be closer to her youngest daughter who lives in Pitchcombe.

Paddi admits she is looking forward to the free ice-cream Winstones is giving to everyone taking part in Longfield's 30th anniversary walk.

People can join either a 5k or 10k walk. And whilst fundraising will be warmly welcomed, it is possible to sign-up to walk for fun, bringing the kids, the dog, or friends along to enjoy the scenery.

With a pop-up bar provided by the Prince Albert of Rodborough, live music and good food, the evening will turn into a celebration that goes on until 10pm.

The hospice care charity is marking its 30th anniversary and is asking people to pull on their boots, trainers or wellies and get active.

By raising money walkers will enable Longfield to build on its firm foundation to help even more people across Gloucestershire.

The evening walk starts at 6.30pm on Friday June 8, setting off from Longfield's base in Burleigh Lane, Minchinhampton.

The celebrations will continue in the gardens until 10pm. Visit Longfield's website to buy tickets, priced at £12 for adults and £7 for under 16s. Children under the age of three go free. Family and adult group tickets are available.