On 11th November 2018 it will be exactly 100 years since the signing of the Armistice silenced the guns and brought about the end of World War 1. I wanted to mark this centenary in a positive way, linking it to the present by raising money in support of a new facility, nearing completion, at Altcar Training Camp, Hightown, Merseyside.

After a lot of thought, I have decided to do this by walking 100 miles starting on 1st October 2018. It seems particularly appropriate that this facility should be built in the North West where traditionally there has always been a high level of recruitment for the Armed Forces. I very much hope that the friends and colleagues who have supported me in my three previous sponsored long distance walks will do so again. It is now six years since my last event which was a walk in a swimming pool as part of my rehabilitation when I was recovering from an accident. Now at 71 "years young," the training for this walk has been a lot harder this time so this is definitely the last one!!!

During the past eighteen months, I have watched, with great interest, the development of the “Code's Retreat,” project based at Altcar Training Camp, Hightown. At Altcar, four accommodation “Pods,” have been installed for the use of wounded, injured and sick military personnel (WIS) and veterans, to enable them to take short breaks as part of their recuperation process. “Pods,” are posh camping - basic structures but providing warm shelter. This is a new and unique facility here in the North West of England and with only a small amount of work remaining to be done, the project is now nearing completion.

The first pod was gifted to Altcar Training Camp at Hightown and with a positive response from both individuals and the local community, £12,000 has been raised towards the purchase of a further three pods which are now on site. Each Pod accommodates two people and is provided with electricity. The project is named, “Code’s Retreat,” after a building which previously occupied the site, and it is situated in a quiet location away from the centre of the camp and beside a river. There is a kitchen and ablutions block, a workshop, a fire pit and a barbeque area. At the present time, work is also in progress to complete a hard surfaced walk to an elevated view point overlooking the camp.

Through my previous involvement with a military charity, I have become increasingly aware that, for some people, their military service may leave a lasting legacy in terms of either physical or mental injury. In the latter case, the damage may not present itself until many years later, by which time it may be deep seated and can be very isolating, not only for those affected in this way but also for those closest to them. The importance of the " camaraderie,” that exists between those who have served together is difficult for a civilian to understand, but it has been a recurring theme in many conversations that I have had with both injured service personnel, veterans and their families during the last ten years. I feel confident that the development of “Code’s Retreat,” (Pods project) will be one positive step towards helping to address this issue.

The overall aim of the Code's Retreat project is not to provide or match what is already provided elsewhere for WIS and veterans but it promises to offer something truly unique when it is completed.

As the Centenary of the end of World War 1 approaches , this seems to be exactly the right time to remember those who lost their lives in past conflicts, not only in the Great War, where two of my Father’s cousins were killed, but also in all those other conflicts where our Armed Forces have been deployed since then.

However, for me, it is also important to remember those for whom their active service has been life changing. By doing something positive to help those who are still affected by their service today, I hope to raise a significant sum to help ensure the long term future of this project.

Many thanks for reading this,

Judy Hitchcock