A GROUP of postmen from Aberystwyth are planning on putting their walking boots to good use and raise money for charity.

Rob Crumpler, James Shield, Jamie Martin, Tom Kerton, Rob Makaruk, Sion Jenkins and Huw Griffiths will be walking the coastal path from New Quay to Aberystwyth on 23 May, to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, a charity close to one of the group’s hearts.

The 36 kilometre journey, which will take around 11 hours to complete and will cover the “challenging terrain” of the coastal path, starting from New Quay lighthouse at 7am and finishing in Aberystwyth.

The seven men are all co-workers at Royal Mail in Aberystwyth, while Jamie Martin and Rob Makaruk are both managers, the other five works as postmen.

Rob, who devised the idea for a sponsored walk, set up a fundraising page on 24 March and has already managed to raise £200.

“I am excited and nervous. I know it’s going to be tough, but I’ve wanted to do it for a while so I am quite excited.

“We set an original target of £400 because, at the time, only three of us were doing it. But by the start of this week we already had half of our target, so we put it up to £600.”

Rob said they decided to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital due to personal experience with the hospital: “One of the boys, James Shield, his son actually went to Great Ormond Street Hospital to have treatment, maybe a year, or possibly two years, ago. He spent some time there.

“It was quite a serious issue. James was in a bad way and we were all supporting him at that time.

“It’s obviously very personal for him but we were all experiencing it in a way.”

Rob said the group of men all work in the same office and have become a “close group of friends”.

“This was something I really wanted to do for a while anyway.

“I wanted to do it a bit longer but I was advised not to because this will already take about 11 hours.

“And we’re all at different levels really, so it could take even longer than that.”

To donate to the cause, go to the fundraising page at www.justgiving­.com/fundraising/PostiesCoastalWalkChallenge