A FOUR-YEAR-OLD plans to walk 7,000 steps a day in fancy dress with her one-year-old brother and parents to raise funds for a children's hospice.

Verity Seignot-Griffiths plans to walk around three miles a day with her brother Oliver, mum Caroline and dad Davey in a fundraiser for the Chestnut Tree House hospice in Arundel.

Verity plans on wearing a different fancy dress outfit on her walks each day, with outfits planned for her parents too.

The fundraiser is part of a challenge set by the hospice called Nurses' Steps, which encourages people to walk between 7,000 and 10,000 steps a day - the same number that nurses at the hospice walk when looking after children with life-shortening conditions.

The family have so far raised £541 towards their £2,000 fundraising target.

Caroline said: "We have all sorts of outfits planned, mainly princesses and fairies, but also a monkey outfit, where Davey will be dressed up as a banana if we hit 50 per cent of our fundraising target, as well as a nurse, Wonder Woman, and all sorts.

"Verity is excited to take on the challenge and we have lots of different walks planned around our local area."

Verity will also be joined by some of the family's animals on their fundraising walks, with Hugo the sheep joining them for a few laps around fields, as well as their ponies and chickens.

By the end of February, Verity and her family would have walked almost 200,000 steps.

Speaking about why they chose to fundraise for the children's hospice, Caroline said: "Chestnut Tree House is an amazing cause and Nurses' Steps is a great fundraising challenge.

"It's something that we can take part in as a family whilst making memories together. We're also hoping that the fancy dress and animals will bring a smile to people's faces too."

To sponsor Verity and her family, visit their JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/verityslittlesteps.

People can sign up to join Verity and others in the Nurses' Steps fundraising challenge for £12 via the Chestnut Tree House website. Participants receive support throughout the challenge, as well as an exclusive pair of shoelaces, colouring sheets and scavenger hunts, and a medal upon completion.

The children's hospice cares for children with life-shortening conditions and their families in Sussex and South East Hampshire.

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