A woman has been remembering her sister as her “best friend” ahead of a walk in her memory.

Dawn Paul, 62, described her close relationship with her elder sister, Karen, who died after a six-year battle with multiple myeloma cancer.

Dawn, of Mount Caburn Crescent in Peacehaven, said speaking about her sister still affects her, 11 years after her death on October 24, 2011.

Dawn said: “She was my best friend and she was more like a mother than a sister sometimes, she was always looking after me.

“The only way I can describe her is as the matriarch of the family. She was always there for her family.”

The Argus: Dawn, right, with her sister Karen, leftDawn, right, with her sister Karen, left (Image: Dawn Paul)

She said Karen, who was a carer for her quadriplegic husband, was an inspiration to her and continued to be even after her death, for example when Dawn ran the Brighton Marathon.

Dawn, a learning support assistant at Meridian Community Primary School, said her sister was a big part of the reason she began to volunteer for the NSPCC. At her funeral, Karen had asked for money to be given to the children’s charity.

Mother-of-four Dawn has since raised money on many occasions for the charity which she says is like “a big family”. Just recently, Dawn has returned from Nepal where she trekked to reach the Mount Everest base camp.

Dawn has also organised the Angel Walk, which raises money for the NSPCC in her sister’s honour. After beginning with only a few walkers, the event is now celebrating its tenth year and has around 100 participants.

The Argus: Dawn, left, on a previous Angel Walk with her son Andrew, rightDawn, left, on a previous Angel Walk with her son Andrew, right (Image: Dawn Paul)

She said: “Angel Walk encourages people to support people, that’s the goal.

“Everybody can come down and everyone gets a medal. Even if you bring your dog they will get a rosette.”

Walkers can either choose to walk 5km or 10km and the route aims to explore the beauty of Peacehaven.

Those taking part donate either £10, or £25 for a family. The Angel Walk is on Sunday, October 30, in Centenary Park in Peacehaven.