A GROUP of 'wild' women have raised more than £700 for a cancer charity.

Wonderful Wild Women, a group of like-minded adventurous females, celebrated its one year anniversary with a party and fundraiser at The Factory, on Aynam Mills, Kendal.

Sarah Gerrish, the founder of the group, wanted to mark the anniversary of the group and support a friend undergoing cancer treatment.

"We contacted some filmmakers and showed films involving and made by women," she said. "We held a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses and we had some beer donated by Kirkby Lonsdale brewery so all the profits from that are going to the Lymphoma Association."

Sarah, who lives in Allithwaite, set up the Wonderful Wild Women group as an antidote to her busy schedule.

"I started back at uni to do a masters degree," said the 31-year-old. "I was struggling with juggling everything. I've always been quite active so juggling work and uni and family, I wasn't getting out as much as I wanted to be."

Sarah, who is a runner, triathlete and climber, started posting pictures on Instagram of things that other active women were doing but soon felt like she should be doing something as well.

"It followed on with trying to organise some get togethers with people around the Lakes," Sarah explained. "It's a way of helping women build a network so they felt confident to get out and do things."

Although men are welcome to come along to the events that she arranges, she felt like women often struggle more with confidence and that the outdoors industry can be quite intimidating if you are new to it.

So far the group has been on walks and mountain biking but members have also been in touch with her about organising outdoor swimming days and she wants to forge good links with local creative and active businesses.

"The whole point of it is that it's not this elitist group of people," the 31-year-old said. "We're all learning and everyone's a beginner at some point.

"As much as it is about doing outdoor things it's about giving people a chance to do something active, doing something a bit more unusual that you might not go along to on your own."

Visit www.facebook.com/wonderfulwildwomen/ to find out more about the group.