THE DEPUTY manager of a nursing home is getting her walking shoes on to raise funds for the residents.

Mandy Bugler is taking on a 61-mile walk from London to Brighton to boost the residents fund at Signature House in Dorchester where she works.

Mandy has worked at Signature House for a year, having worked with the Somerset Redstone Trust for 12 years.

She took on the London to Brighton last year with her son Adam to raise funds for Help for Heroes but he was unable to finish because of injury.

Mandy said when she first crossed the finish line last year she would never dream of doing it again this time round but her son wanted to do it and she was determined to complete the route with him.

She said: “I thought if I’m doing it then it would be good to raise some money for the residents so I’m going to do it for the residents’ activities fund.”

Mandy said with the garden soon to be completed at Signature House, any money she raises could help fund equipment for that but stressed it would be very much up to the residents to decide what to do with it.

Mandy will join around 3,000 other people as she sets out on the route from Richmond to Brighton on Saturday morning.

Last year the route took her 26-and-a-half hours and she said she cannot wait to see the finish line at Brighton Racecourse.

Mandy has previously done the London Moonwalk, a 26-mile distance, six times and done a Moonwalk in Edinburgh.

The 61-mile route sees her take the challenge to the next level.

Mandy said: “I just wanted to do a bit more of a challenge, that’s why I did it last year.”

Anyone interested in sponsoring Mandy for the challenge can contact her via email on mandy.bugler@ somersetredstonetrust.co.uk