All dressed up are for the ten-mile circular walk are, from left, Dennis Thon, Sue Day and her husband, Mark Day.
COMMUNITY-SPIRITED regulars at an Island pub helped take their fundraising target towards buying a special wheelchair a step closer by walking the countryside in fancy dress.
Around 30 residents, who either work or drink at the Sun Inn, Calbourne, took part in the fun-filled ten-mile circular walk from the popular pub.
Dressed in all manner of costumes — including St Trinian’s schoolgirls, a naughty nurse, Rupert Bear, Minnie Mouse and a hippy — the walk raised around £1,300 towards a special £10,000 wheelchair for cycle accident victim Mike Hailes, of Elm Lane, Calbourne.
Mr Hailes was severely injured just over a year ago, which has left him paralysed from the neck down. He is currently receiving rehabilitation treatment at Salisbury Hospital.
The money from the walk was raised from sponsorship and a bucket collection en route, which included stop-offs at the Horse and Groom, Ningwood, and the New Inn, Shalfleet.
The total now stands at £9,000 for the wheelchair, which has a voice-activated computer with internet access. Any additional cash will go towards making adaptations to Mr Hailes’s home.
Around £6,000 of the total was raised from the sale of a nude calendar of Calbourne residents. Another one for 2011 is currently being produced and could be on sale before the end of August.
Sandra Mobley, who co-runs the Sun Inn, who also took part in the walk, said: "It was a fantastic day — a lot of fun and all for a good cause.
"Mike is a popular punter at the pub. The walk was a real getting together of the community to help one of its own."
At the end of the walk, prizes were presented to the best fancy-dressed and clumsiest men and women and the walker with the smelliest feet.
Reporter: jonm@iwcpmail.co.uk