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Target: £5,000.00
Raised so far: £7,785.70
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My story

 

STOP PRESS!  I have just completed the walk; 226 miles - unbelievably lucky with the weather, and a lot of fun!  Tricia Durston accompanied me for the whole distance, and we were joined by several others for periods ranging from a couple of hours to a whole week.

You can see some photos of the walk on my Facebook page, and in due course |I will publish an account - watch this space!

I contracted Psoriatic Arthritis in the early 1990s, while I was still in the Navy.  Those of you who have known me for that long will remember the devastating effects it can have; going up and down stairs on my bum, walking with sticks or worse, putting on 4 stone...    Over the years my outstanding medical advisors tried all sorts of stuff - Vioxx (until it was withdrawn...), Sulfasalazine (until it didn't work), Diclofenac, the dreaded Methotrexate...  They all kind of helped, but not that much; alleviating symptoms at best, but not really giving me my life back.

But then in Spring 2008 I started Etanercept.  From over 50 pills a week to a single virtually painless injection - and a total transformation (how else do you think I could contemplate walking 226 miles?).

These drugs are amazing, but they're also very expensive, and they're still not a cure.  I'm well aware that I am one of the lucky ones; my life has been given back to me, but I still have the disease.  I want to make sure that other people with arthritis as bad as mine, or worse (and you should see some of the young children at the clinics I go to...) get the same chances as me, and more.

Hence the walk; I walked from Salisbury to Canterbury, via Winchester, Farnham, onto the North Downs Way, Reigate, Rochester, Maidstone, Dover and then back up to Canterbury.  226 miles, taking 16 days; starting at Salisbury Cathedral on Sunday 3 May & finishing at Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday 20 May.  

Thank you so much, everyone, for your extraordinary generosity.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Arthritis Research Campaign gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

Chanced on details of your walk on fleetairarmoa.org while trying to look something up about the Atlantic Convoys 1939-45. Isn't the internet great. Donation by South Irish Horse 02/09/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Well done Crispin Donation by Stilts 07/07/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Great to accompany you. Well Done! Donation by Crispin and Victoria Blunt 08/06/09  

£105.00 + £29.62 Gift Aid

Paul Chambers put me on to this. Well done. Donation by Peter Swan 01/06/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Brilliant effort - well done. Sorry we were unable to share precious moments, hem hem... Donation by Oblongs - tous 30/05/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Well Done! Donation by Hetal Shah 28/05/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Splendid. Donation by padraig 26/05/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Nice one mate. Top stuff. Donation by Berry7 26/05/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Well done! Fantastic effort Donation by Jeremy & Angela 26/05/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Well done Crispin. Donation by Mark and Carolyn Garratt 25/05/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

In grateful thanks for a great week! (and all worth it for the Gordon House Experience) Donation by Tom and Meg Morton 21/05/09  

£89.00 + £25.10 Gift Aid

Well, you did it! Donation by Pirton Pirates 20/05/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Hurry up! Donation by Colin Howard 18/05/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

What a fantastic thing to do - well done. Donation by Robin & Liz HF 12/05/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck - the best bit will be when you have finished! Donation by Larraine Oldroyd 12/05/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

go for it! Donation by Jon R 10/05/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

So you started on our wedding anniversary and will finish on Rob's birthday! What a start, lunch here sometime when you have recovered. Donation by Greenface and the family 09/05/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Great day, great company - thanks for letting me keep you company in such a good cause Donation by Graham Thompson 06/05/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good luck Crispin Donation by Iain Harrison 05/05/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Best of luck Crispin! Donation by Adam Da Costa 05/05/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck! And to do wel God send yow his grace! Donation by Sue & John Hansford 04/05/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Great job for a worthy cause!! Donation by Ravi Rao 03/05/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

All the best mate, what a legend and gent- try not to graze those guitar playing fingers too much Donation by Shan Ali 01/05/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Best of luck mate - take beer breaks regularly... Donation by Chris Barnes 01/05/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

A donation for the walk, and also a downpayment for the counselling you will need after we hammer you in The Ashes again ;) Best wishes to you. Donation by Todd Street 01/05/09  

£20.00

All the best Crispin, try to avoid autorotation! Donation by Bill Bird 30/04/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Impressive stuff. Good luck mate. Donation by Alex McEvoy 30/04/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Enjoy the scenary mate...I want a detailed thesis on Forest's assault on the Championship next season by the time you finish! Donation by Simon Dennis 30/04/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Best of luck and enjoy the journey Donation by Johann Zahra 30/04/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

We're with you all the way. Well, perhaps as far as the Cloisters.., Donation by Simon Steve and Frrankie 30/04/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
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  Offline donations: £2,545.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £1,435.84

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