Story
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span></p>
<ul class="clear form-list" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; clear: both; border: 0px initial initial;">
<li style="padding-top: 8px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; display: block; margin: 0px; border: 0px none #1c1c1c;">
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Walking Boots and a Prayer, 100 miles in 5 days. Monday October 24 to Friday October 28th</strong></em></span> </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Hi everyone</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">My name is Mike Smith </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">You might know me, I have lived in Frome for 46 years, having moved here when I was nearly 4, so that makes me nearly<strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> <span style="color: #ff0000;">50</span> . </strong> </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">I went to Selwood and Frome College, Worked in the Agricutral trade with a short spell of Lorry driving.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> I spent over 20 years running and coaching young Athletes, The last 7 years have been spent teaching children to swim.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">My wife Helen has worked at Lloyds Bank for 29 years and has been a member of Frome Operatic Society for 30 years .</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Our Children , Lauren and William went to St Louis Catholic School and have done Dancing, Swimming, Guides/Scouts, Frome Town Youth Band.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">We are also active parishioners at St Catharines Catholic Chuch Frome </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> <strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Thanks must go to Helen, Lauren & William for supporting my mad scheme</strong>.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">This is where my Journey along the Wessex Ridgeway begins .</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Recentley I started thinking about becoming 50 in October 2011 and what it meant to me. My Thoughts went straight to My Dad Billy Smith and Helens dad Colin Rutt , who both sadley passed away in their early 50's. I personally think I will live into my 100's so I was not worried. What I felt was, <span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">" what challange could I do? "</strong></span>. Again my mind raced away. In my yonger days I had run the London Marathon 3 times. I knew that if I could not train hard enough, I would not enjoy doing another marathon. I then thought about what I enjoy doing now and walking came to mind. </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">I started to search for long distance paths and came across an Ancient path way from Lyme Regis across country to the East coast. The full route was a trading route and followed a Ridge across the country and is known as "The Great Ridgeway" some 240 miles, (too far for me). I was looking for around about 100 miles and on more investigating, I worked out the west end of the Ridge way is called the Wessex Ridgeway and the <strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">100</strong> mile point was just past Westbury Wiltshire.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #3366ff;">So the that's my Challenge sorted,<strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> Walk 100 miles in 5 days</strong> (my legs ache thinking about it). OH NO I need to sort so much out .</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c;">My Next train of thought was if I am doing a long walk then should I raise money for charity. Who should I support, thinking about my dad again and chatting to some friends I felt that </span><strong style="color: #1c1c1c; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #ff00ff;"> </span></strong><span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #5b1094; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; line-height: normal;">Dorothy House Foundation</span> was something My Dad, Mum, Sister, Brother and myself could have helped us all. After a meeting with</span><span style="color: #ff00ff;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #5b1094; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; line-height: normal;">Yvonne Brunton from Dorothy House Foundation</span></span><span style="color: #1c1c1c;"> I was convienced I had chosen a worthwhile Charity.</span></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Please also support my other charity. Both are very worthy Charities.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #339966;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</em></span></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #339966;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</em></span></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #339966;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">So please dig deep and donate now.</em></span></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><em style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Updates</em></span></strong></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">I am looking for places to sleep along the way, my tent and sleeping bag are too heavy to carry.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #800000;">Day One Hindon -</span></strong> thanks to Heather and Richard for the offer of Hospitality.</p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-weight: normal;"><strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #800000;">Day Two Iwerne Minster or Tarrant Gunville </span></strong><span style="color: #000000;">Thanks to Malcom &</span><strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #800000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span></strong></span></strong></span></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #800000;"><strong style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Day Three Alton Pancras , </strong><span style="color: #000000;">Thanks to Tony Monds for the offer of Hospitality</span></span></p>
<p style="color: #1c1c1c; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #800000;"><strong>Day Four Beaminster </strong></span><em>Thanks to Patrica & Duncan for the offer of Hospitality</em></span></strong></span></p>
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