A DEDICATED fundraiser from Huddersfield is celebrating her 50th year helping the NSPCC by doing a 25-mile sponsored trek.

Rosie Cleave is one of up to 750 people taking part in the sponsored walk around ‘Summer Wine’ country in Huddersfield on September 1 which will raise tens of thousands of pounds for the charity.

The annual NSPCC Hack, now in its third year, is organised by Huddersfield fundraisers Sue and Tony Thomas and has been held in North Yorkshire – up until now.

This year the 25-mile trek will be staged around Huddersfield and will raise the area’s profile as up to 750 walkers from all over the country will take part.

The event is so popular that more than 500 people have already signed up.

The hike is called Can U Hack It? with Hack standing for Hike Against Cruelty to Kids.

The circular walk starts at Hade Edge and includes parts of the Kirklees Way, the Pennine Way and the Transpennine Trail.

The last two Hacks were 35-mile hikes from Kirkbymoorside to Scarborough.

Sue and Tony won the award for Services To Charity in last year’s Examiner Community Awards.

Rosie, 56, of Fenay Bridge, is the NSPCC joint branch chairman for Huddersfield.

Over the years she has raised thousands of pounds for the charity starting when she was just six years old. She is celebrating her 50th year of giving by aiming to raise £500 herself for the HACK and has also managed to personally recruit 87 of the 500 people already signed up to take part.

She used the Huddersfield Examiner’s Charity Challenge Walk in May as a ’training session’ for the lengthier NSPCC challenge.

She is no newcomer to the HACK, having taken part in the previous challenge.

Rosie said: “I really believe that child abuse must be eradicated. Having been a primary school teacher I’ve had first-hand experience of the devastating effect that it has on young lives.

“This belief puts a real spring in my step for the HACK. There is a real sense of team spirit among everyone taking part – we all know we’re walking for a worthy cause.”

Helen Verity, community fundraising manager for the HACK, said: “The HACK is a great event which I believe is one of the best outdoor challenges in the north.

“I’m not an experienced trekker like Rosie, so the day will be a huge personal challenge for me. I’ve completed the previous two HACKs and have felt a real sense of achievement in taking part. Every step that HACKers take means they are helping to raise awareness and vital funds for vulnerable children in West Yorkshire.”

The NSPCC is the UK’s leading charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. The NSPCC’s purpose is to end cruelty to children and its vision is of a society where all children are loved, valued and able to fulfil their potential.

Anyone aged over 18 interested in taking part in the challenge can visit www.canuhackit.co.uk for a registration form or contact the NSPCC Appeals Team on 0113 2299 313.

The registration fee is £12.50 and includes refreshments along the route. The closing date for applicants has been extended to 31 July.

Once the registration is complete, entrants will receive a walker’s pack outlining their start time and giving further details of the route. Participants can then begin collecting sponsorship pledges from friends, family and colleagues. All sponsorship money will go directly to the NSPCC.

The NSPCC needs volunteers to help out on the day. Roles include marshals, people to man checkpoints, others to guide walkers along short sections of the hike and even budding chefs to turn their hands to a celebratory BBQ for jubilant walkers at the end of the day.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Helen Verity, NSPCC community fundraising manager for the HACK on 01422 339 515 or email hverity@nspcc.org.uk.