Hospices across Kent have each benefited by £5,000 from proceeds of the Shepherd Neame/KM Group annual charity walk.

The event, held at Charing earlier this year, raised a total of £57,000.

Presenting the cheques at Shepherd Neame’s headquarters in Faversham, brewery chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “I was one of the first out on this year’s walk, an event we have been running for 13 years.

“With the current economic conditions, the amount we collect has started to tail off so we probably need to find a new way to raise money as we are hugely supportive of the hospice movement.

“We need to reach out to new audiences and be as creative as possible to attract new funds.”

The hospices to benefit from the walk include Pilgrims in Canterbury, Ashford and Thanet.

KM Group chairman Geraldine Allinson said: “I want to say thank-you to the hospices for the great work you do for families and the communities who live in the areas in which you operate.”