Pictured above: The Co-operative Travel Women's Aid walkers outside the Franche Road travel branch in Kidderminster (LtoR centre and knealing at the front, Nicole Tanser-Voets 8, daughter of Sharon Tanser Voets and her dog Ben with Liz Dear, Assistant Manager at the Franche Road store)

Colleagues and friends from The Co-operative Travel stepped out on a 10 kilometre sponsored walk for the charity Women's Aid.

The 20 strong group, plus two dogs, set off from the Franche Road travel branch in Kidderminster and made their way to the Stourport travel branch in fancy dress and branded T-shirts to raise funds and awareness for the cause.

Organiser Sharon Tanser-Voets, Senior Travel Adviser at Stourport, said: "This was our first fundraising activity for our new charity partner and it was brilliant to see so many people get involved and help each other through the walk.

"We had great support from friends and family who joined us on the walk with our youngest walker my eight-year-old daughter Nicole and our eldest supporter who was 72.

"The walk took us through some lovely countryside and everyone had a really good time. We are looking forward to organising more events for Women's Aid."

The route took them along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and is expected to take around two-and-a-half hours but the travel team completed it in just two hours.

"So far we've managed to raise over £650 which is fantastic." added Sharon.

The Co-operative Travel is part of The Midcounties Co-operative which has chosen Women's Aid as its charity partner for the next two years.

Women's Aid is a national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children. It supports a network of over 500 domestic and sexual violence services across the UK.

Midcounties' colleagues will raise money to support the charity's work nationally and eleven local services that operate within its trading areas, including refuges at Wolverhampton, Walsall, Shropshire, Wyre Forest, Warwickshire, Wycombe, Oxfordshire, The Forest of Dean and Gloucestershire. They will also donate their time to volunteering projects and get involved in campaign work.