LEGENDARY Lake District fundraiser Doris Hancock will be remembered by her friends this weekend as they follow in her footsteps along Hadrian’s Wall for youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.

Doris, of Ambleside, took on an 84-mile walk along the historic monument to raise money for the charity in 2012, aged 95.

She named the walk her ‘Spider Trek’, as it was organised into eight legs, with a close web of friends joining her on sections of the route. Her remarkable fundraising efforts raised more than £7,000. Centrepoint’s Patron, HRH the Duke of Cambridge, sent a personal message of encouragement to Doris, which was delivered to her during her walk by young people from the charity's Sunderland hostel.

Doris died peacefully last year, following a short illness. This year, her friends are attending the start of the Hadrian’s Wall Walk challenge, a fundraising event for Centrepoint, to cheer participants on.

This year’s 18 mile walk begins at Walltown Crags on Saturday and will finish at Chollerford. Forty walkers are taking part to raise funds for Centrepoint.

Alison Stewart and her sister Cath were close friends of Doris, and were involved in coordinating the Spider Trek. Alison said: “We’re thrilled to support the walkers who are raising funds for a cause that was so close to Doris’ heart.

"Walltown Crags is where young people from Centrepoint came and surprised Doris with cakes they had baked for her birthday. That was one of the happiest moments of the walk for her, meeting some of the young people she was raising money for. And of course receiving the letter from Prince William! She was truly gobsmacked. She had it framed in her house.”

Of her achievement, Doris said at the time: “If I’m going to do it, I should do it for a really good cause and it’s the most important thing helping homeless young people. The best thing about Centrepoint is that it doesn’t just leave them in the lurch. It follows through and helps them every step of the way to getting their lives back on track and that is wonderful.”

Head of Housing and Support Jennifer Foster, who worked in fundraising for Centrepoint at the time, said: “Doris was an inspiration and it was amazing to meet her and be part of her journey. We’re honoured that her friends have chosen to continue her legacy by taking on the Hadrian’s Wall walk this year. Doris wholeheartedly shared Centrepoint’s aim of ending youth homelessness, and every penny raised by the walkers will provide vital funds to help us reach that goal.”

Footwear retailer and local employer Charles Clinkard is sponsoring this year’s event and has generously donated £3,000. The company was founded in the North East and retains a strong heritage there through its head office in Middlesbrough. Twenty employees are taking part in the walk.