A GROUP of work colleagues is in training for a 25-mile charity walk in memory of a much-loved former workmate.

Twenty-two employees from Northallerton-based FT Construction Group are to complete Hadrian’s Hike, a 25.4mile walk from Hexham to Brampton in Northumberland to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of Barry Blackett.

Barry, 65, died in January after being diagnosed with lung cancer last year. He was a senior project manager at Walter Thompson, part of the FT Group, for 17 years and had just retired when he died.

One of the organisers, Tessa Harker, said: “I think the number of colleagues who’ve agreed to take part in Hadrian’s Hike shows how much we all thought of Barry – he was loved and respected by everyone at FT. Our walkers come from basically every department at the company, and from director level to apprentices and subcontractors.

"His widow Judy is very supportive of the walk, which we’ll be doing on July 15.

“We set a target of £1,700, that’s £100 for every year he worked here, but we’re hoping to exceed that by the time we’ve finished fundraising."

Barry was living in Stillington, North Yorkshire, at the time of his death but was originally from Billingham.