A TOUR that included a recital at a church near Tenbury has netted £2,000 for mental health charities.

Almost £2,000 has been raised by the chairman of Malvern Hills District Council following the completion of his 160-mile Hike for Health and Happiness.

John Raine finished his fundraising challenge on Saturday (10 September), having spent ten days walking through every ward in Malvern Hills District.

The aim was to raise money for three local mental health organisations - Positive Thoughts, Jigsaw and Link Nurseries – as well as encouraging people to talk more about mental health issues.

He and others then signed the Time to Change pledge, committing them to doing more to challenge the stigma around mental health.

A keen musician, he played recitals at a number of stops along the way including at St Michael’s church in the village outside Tenbury.

“The Hike for Health and Happiness has been a wonderful experience in so many ways,” he said.

“It was a chance to discover various hidden gems within our beautiful district that we had not previously visited.”