About 1,000 people have signed up to take part in the walk, which is being held at Wicksteed Park, Kettering, on Sunday, March 21.

Miss Hooper and her team are doing all they can to get the numbers up to a record 3,000 this year. Although regardless of whether they reach the target, she said the day is all about people coming along and getting the 'feel-good factor' from taking part.

She said: "This is the eighth walk and we are so proud the walk has maintained its momentum and grown – when it started there was 250 people and last year we had 2,300.

"We have had 1,000 entries already with two weeks to go, so we are encouraging people to make that determined effort now.

"What is special about the walk is it's local, it's for the breast cancer services at Kettering and Northampton general hospitals, where all ladies who are diagnosed with breast cancer in this area have to go.

"The walk can be a bit emotional for some, they may have lost someone or may have just been diagnosed.

"But there's also the feel good factor – you are with so many like-minded people.

"It's a happy morning – we sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and have a minute's silence, then there's the warm-up and the countdown, it's a very moving morning in many respects. We find the feedback from people is when they go home they think they have just done something so personal and so rewarding.

"A lot of people come along and they don't raise a lot of sponsorship, and a lot of people don't do the whole walk, but it doesn't matter, it's about taking part."

Miss Hooper said despite the preparations for this year's walk reaching fever pitch, preparations have already started behind the scenes for next year's walk, which will be on March 27, 2011.

She said she was grateful to all the sponsors backing the walk – this year sponsors include Avon, AO Copy, Weetabix, Walkers Crisps and T & K Home Improvements, as well as many individuals who have offered to help.

Miss Hooper said: "There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes.

"We do paperwork, send things out, and it all has to be logged and registered on a database.

"But we love doing it."

The official deadline for entries for the walk is this Saturday.

To register download a form from www.crazyhatsbreastcancerappeal.co.uk or call 01933 442999.