Employees of IT firm Aura Technology will embark on a 26-mile charity walk for Mental Health Awareness Week.

The marathon hike, scheduled for May 18, is from Sandbanks to Lymington and aims to raise funds for the Oakhaven Hospice Trust.

Operations Director Steve Stokes, Service Desk Engineer Level 2 Lead Oliver Oxley, and Marc Elkins, Head of Centralised Services, will be taking part in the event along with a group of friends.

Oliver, an accomplished mountaineer with the British Mountaineering Council and 15 years of experience, will lead the group.

The chosen charity, Oakhaven Hospice, provides comprehensive palliative care and support services to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

The hospice boasts a team of specialists, including nurses, doctors, counsellors, and physiotherapists. The Aura team members, all of whom have young families, promote walking as a family-friendly activity.

Oliver, who completed his mountain leadership training in Snowdonia, has skills to safely guide friends and small groups on hiking excursions and wild camps.

Steve and Marc have plans to attempt the Three Peaks Challenge next, under Oliver's guidance, who has completed it twice previously.

Oliver Oxley said: "When you work in IT, people often see it as being bound to a desk and stuck at a screen, but it’s a lot more than that. Most of our sector see ourselves more as problem solvers.

"I love getting stuck into trying to find resolution and helping our customers or our other colleagues. And it’s the same when I’m hiking or walking, creating different routes and making camps, helping hikers who are a little unsure or new to the adventure.

"We’re raising money on this walk, as it’s important to be able to give back to the community. Walking and being immersed in nature give me a huge amount of joy - foraging, hiking and experiencing the great outdoors.

"But there are so many people who don’t get this opportunity, so taking part in these sponsored walks feels like the right thing to do."