Raised: 110%
Target: £7,500.00
Raised so far: £8,283.00
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My story

 
We are walking 150 miles across southern England, from one Wisden office to another, to raise money for the Laurie Engel Fund (Teenage Cancer Trust).

Laurie, the son of Wisden editor Matthew Engel, died in September 2005, aged 13. His parents, Matthew and Hilary, set up the fund to help pay for a six-bed extension to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where Laurie was treated for a particularly aggressive cancer. His medical care was excellent; the non-medical facilities were dismal.

The extension will allow teenage cancer patients to have some space to themselves – where they can just be teenagers. As well as giving patients more dignity, such wards also increase survival rates.

We set off from Upton Grey (near Basingstoke in Hampshire) at 10am on Saturday 19 May. Our first stop, after a gentle four miles, is the Wisden office at the Golden Pot, near Alton. Or possibly the pub near by.

From there, in the company of an assortment of friends, family and colleagues, we take ten days, walking for between 15 and 19 miles a day, to reach the house in the Golden Valley, south-west of Hereford, where Matthew lives and works, and where Laurie lived and died.

We hope to stride (but expect to hobble) down the Engels’ drive some time after lunch on Whit Monday, 28 May. It would have been Laurie’s 15th birthday. See below for a rough itinerary of where we are when.

Please give us your support by sponsoring us, walking with us or, best of all, both. For more details of the Wisden Walk, please email either hugh.chevallier@wisdengroup.com or paul.coupar@wisdengroup.com. Or visit laurieengelfund.org. If you haven't already seen it, you might also like to read Matthew's profoundly moving piece in The Guardian about Laurie, and about his illness.

If you’d rather send a cheque, please make it payable to “TCT Laurie Engel Fund” and send it to one or other of our home addresses. Please email us if you're not sure where we live.

Thank you so very much for your support.

Hugh Chevallier and Paul Coupar

And oh yes, here's the bald itinerary:

Day 1: Upton Grey - Golden Pot - Dummer
Day 2: Dummer - Watership Down - Ashmansworth
Day 3: Ashmansworth - Buttermere - Ramsbury
Day 4: Ramsbury - Ogbourne St George - Clyffe Pypard
Day 5: Clyffe Pypard - Stopper's Hill (Brinkworth) - Somerford Keynes
Day 6: Somerford Keynes - Sapperton - Painswick
Day 7: Painswick - Gloucester - Tibberton
Day 8: Tibberton - Mitcheldean - Peterstow
Day 9: Peterstow - Hoarwithy - Kilpeck
Day 10: Kilpeck - Kentchurch - Bacton

Donation by Jon Paish 24/04/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Jonathan Ring 24/04/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by Jo and Richard Pryke 23/04/07  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Have a great walk. I am hoping to come in at around number 4 and help you move the total on Donation by Patrick 19/04/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

From a Wisden fan, best of luck with your walk Donation by Miriam Ahamat 12/04/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Best of luck, Bob. Don't replicate your run to Grantchester. Donation by Harold 11/04/07  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

An excellent cause. Enjoy your walk. Donation by john reay 10/04/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

fantastic cause Donation by helena 06/04/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by chevy 02/04/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

such a worthy cause - hope to join you for a while Donation by sue and christopher gordon 02/04/07  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

Best of luck Donation by the Lampards 30/03/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Donation by David Wightman 30/03/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Wishing you well and hoping to join you for a short distance. Donation by W. Howie 30/03/07  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

Donation by richard charkin 30/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck, look after those feet! Donation by Steven Lynch 27/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Hope you'll be wearing the Wisden sweatshirt. Good luck x Donation by Tanya 26/03/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by John Wheelock 26/03/07  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

May you have nine days of sunshine Donation by Paddy 26/03/07  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Good luck! Donation by Kate Coggins 26/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck to you both! Donation by Polly 23/03/07  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Good luck big man Donation by Billy 23/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

good luck coups Donation by ross allen 23/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Best of luck! Donation by Simon Webber 22/03/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good Luck Donation by David & Christine 22/03/07  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

All the best Donation by Andrew Renshaw 22/03/07  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Best of luck Donation by Jo 22/03/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Very worthwhile cause. Good luck. Donation by Douglas Henderson 22/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good Luck Hugh Donation by Mem 22/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Tally ho!! Donation by Rob Steen 21/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by Paul Bolton 21/03/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
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* Total raised online: £3,883.00
  Offline donations: £4,400.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £1,037.38

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