Right!

I'm doing a sponsored walk of the full length of Hadrian's Wall in July with a group of parent bloggers to raise money for the Joseph Salmon Trust. They're a small charity in Huddersfield who offer support for parents who have lost a child.

The impact on the family whose child has died is immeasurable, the pain is intense and the life they knew is changed forever. The early days following the death of a child are difficult, with lots of organising to do as well as dealing with the overwhelming emotions of grief. At this time many expenses are incurred, work time is lost often with financial implications; to have to worry about financial matters is an added burden. Any support with finances for funeral costs and eventually for a headstone would be a great benefit to families to help them meet the last needs of their child after their death.

Sharman Secker, Manager of Child Development Centre,
Calderdale & Huddersfield Foundation Trust"

In the UK, a shameful number of families still live below the poverty line. Subsistence without state help is an impossibility if you’re caught in that sort of trap and a loving, dignified response to the death of a child is simply impossible. Even something as basic as a headstone is subject to state taxes of 15%. For example, a 2009 article in the Independent placed costs of the average funeral at £7,098.

For disadvantaged families, this is one burden too many at the worst moment in the life of any pare

So that's why I'm blowing the dust off my walking boots and trudging 84 miles across the North of England. It's going to be outdoors. It's going to involve tents and Youth Hostels. Those of you who know me will will be able to place this as being about as far outside my comfort zone as is possible without actually attending Glastonbury.

What can you wonderful people - friends, family and colleagues - do? Well, give money, basically, via the link above.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. And triple thanks if you've dug out your credit card!