Friday 24th August, 2007

Well......I guess this is it! This evening I leave for Thames Head where tomorrow morning at 9.00a.m. I hope to start my walk. My thanks once again to all those who have sponsored me or who have offered words of encouragement.

I am pleased to say that the sponsorship target has been met although I hope that this will not deter people from continuing to keep the cash rolling in. Marie Curie Cancer Care is a charity that deserves all the funds it can get. It offers a highly efficient and caring service to terminally ill cancer patients. Your funding will help to keep the service going for just that little bit longer. In Gibraltar the beneficiary will be Research into Childhood Cancer, which in turn funds research into Neuroblastoma carried out at Gt. Ormond Street Hospital in London. The target in Gibraltar has not yet been achieved but I am hoping that everyone will rally round for one big last push!

As you know, I am doing this walk in memory of my brother William, who died of cancer. During my walk I will also be remembering other friends and family who have also died of cancer. I hope that my walk will in some small way serve to keep alive the work of cancer charities.

There is one person to whom I owe a great debt and without whose unqualified support this walk would not have been possible; My wife Ana Maria. She has endured miles of walking just to keep me company. She has this unflinching belief that I am capable of completing this walk. I hope her faith in me is well and truly justified.

Hope to see you at the Thames Barrier when I complete my walk!

Wednesday 22nd August, 2007

Following my meeting with Diane last night, it looks as if everything is ready for the walk. The logistics have been sorted, any necessary equipment is in place and the Thames Path is not flooded anywhere! The path at Goring will remain closed during my trip but a diversion is in place. The path by Windsor Castle is also closed for security reasons but I should be able to negotiate the bank on the opposite side.

Michael O'Neill has fitted my walking shoes with custom-made insoles which should cushion the heel and avoid any further damage to my right foot, in particular. Today I shall be doing one of my last training walks before the start on Saturday. I am going to keep it to about six or seven miles which will keep my muscles toned up. I will be doing a shorter walk tomorrow of about five miles and then rest up until the weekend.

All is now ready for Saturday. The rain which has been plaguing us over the last couple of weeks or so looks like easing up for at least Saturday and Sunday. That is good news as the first couple of days I will be walking mainly cross-country, following the river, and the ground can get quit muddy and difficult following heavy rain.

When I start the walk I hope to be posting updates regularly. Keep watching this space.

Monday 20th August 2007

Yesterday I went to have a look at the state of the path at the source of the river, just to make sure it is walkable. It appears to be in reasonable condition so unfortunately I have no excuses for not starting there on Saturday. My Inns and hotels for the first four nights have now been booked albeit that I have had to change two of them which are still undergoing repairs due to flood damage. My good friend, Diane Ball, has become my (unpaid) "Chief of Staff" and is meeting with me tomorrow for a final logistics briefing. I guess tomorrow I will have reached the point of no return. I very much hope I will be up to the challenge!

The few people who are joining me at the start will assemble at the Thames Head Inn on the A433 near Cirencester at around 9.00a.m. This pub is only about 15 minutes walk from the source of the Thames. Unfortunately all their rooms are now taken but there is plenty of accommodation nearby. If anyone would like to join in please contact me on 07789502530.

I guess tomorrow is the crunch day for pulling out. I hope I shall be able to resist doing so!

Monday 20th August - Visit to Gibraltar

Walking in Gibraltar in 30 degrees heat is no piece of cake. I'm glad to be back in the UK even if it's back to rain and more rain! My thanks to all those that have expressed support and who have pledged funds. My particular thanks to the Commissioner of Police, Louis Wink, for authorising fundraising by the Gibraltar Police. Henry Sacramento, The Police Welfare Officer who is also a good friend, organised a collection which has now topped £1400 and is still rising.

My thanks also to the Press; Alice Mascarenhas of the Gibraltar Chronicle for a marvellous article, Charlie Bossano and Elena Scialtiel of Insight Magazine for holding the presses to include a reference to my walk and to Michael Beltran of Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation for interviewing me for GBC Radio........and to my many friends in Gib. who I know will be spreading the word!

For those in Gib. wishing to make a donation, please make your cheques payable to R.I.C.C. (Research into Childhood Cancer) and send to RICC, 325 Main Street. Payment can also be made at NatWest Bank, Line Wall Road, Gibraltar a/c RICC No. 36256595