Employees of Reed Business Information walked 13 miles today in bleak conditions to raise money for cancer.

The Royal Marsden in Chelsea was the starting point with The Old Bank pub in Sutton acting as the finishing line.

Balloons, smiling faces and refreshments welcomed walkers as they bustled into the bar afterwords with a sense of achievement.

Jo Bell, senior community fundraising events manager for The Royal Marsden, told Sutton Guardian: “All of the money they are raising today goes towards the 50,000 patients we see every year at the hospital supporting them for their treatment and care.

“We are putting money towards diagnosis equipment and into research. They are a fantastic company that do a lot for us and they raise a lot of money.

“Some of these people have some very personal connections. They could be walking in memory of someone or they are walking for someone’s treatment. It’s very important and passionate cause for a lot of them.”

One Reeds worker, 57, said after the march, “I did this today for my dad who died in The Royal Marsden over 40 years ago. I saw things in there that shocked me.

“I was only a child at the time and I never realised children got cancer. When I went in there I just seen kids and they were smiling at me. That’s why I did this.”

Susan Knight, a former worker for Reeds, was inspired to set up the 'My Marsden March' in 2012 after three employees in the facilities department passed away within six months of each other.

She said: “Each year it’s gone from strength to strength and they always raise more and more. You only have to look around. Cancer has affected so many people.

“Even if it hasn’t happened to you personally you know someone who’s been touched by cancer. I think it’s very important to so many people nowadays. Just to show we support all the great work they are doing.”

The Royal Marsden, a cancer specialist treatment centre, has also hosted a replica annual walk from Chelsea to Sutton since 2011 raising over £10 million.

Next year’s march will take place on Sunday March 4.