Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Just before Christmas last year my wife’s sister, my sister-in-law, Carol McCarron, lost her battle with cancer. Her life wasn’t always easy; for the greater part of it she brought up a family of four single-handed and the way Tina, Don, Brendan and Kieran all turned out is a lasting tribute to her success in doing so. Throughout her life and especially when it got so difficult towards the end, she seemed to have an inner strength to deal with whatever came along, stoically and with optimism in spite of all.

I met Carol when I first started going out with my wife-to-be, Helen, in 1974 and she and her family have been a major part of our lives together. Our families grew together and our children grew older together (if not grew up – but then why should they be any different from their parents). So, her passing was a tragic and sorrowful loss to us all.

Sad though these events were, there was one bright spot: Myton Hospice in Warwick (www.mytonhospice.org). This voluntary organisation provided Carol with a dignified sanctuary in her last weeks. They gave all the family the space and opportunity to be with Carol during this difficult time and they provided unquestioning support to all.

The family have been so moved by the support given by Myton that each one of us has committed to try and do something to raise funds for them. Partly this is in memory of Carol but, as important, it is to help Myton to continue to provide the support for others in need.

My contribution is to seek sponsorship for “My Myton Summer Sponsorship Campaign”. I plan to drag this tired, 66 year-old, fifteen and a half stone body into sufficient fitness to do the following:

• May - Antrim Coast, Glens and the Dark Hedges Bike Ride. This is an event organised by Co-operation Ireland (www.cooperationireland.org), a charity dedicated to bridging the sectarian divide between the communities in Ireland. It is a one-day, 115km route taking in the Antrim Coast Road, the woods, waterfalls and viewpoints around the Glens of Antrim with a ride through the avenue of 18th century beech trees, the Dark Hedges, famously known as the King’s Road in the TV Series, Game of Thrones.
• June - British Isles Four Peaks 1 - Mount Snowdon. Snowdon stands 3,650 feet above sea level and is the highest mountain in Wales. It is a steep walk rather than a climb and it is a walk I have done before. The first time was 45 years ago when I was 21, weighed eleven and a half stone and was considerably fitter. I promise I will not take its mountain railway.
• July - British Isles Four Peaks 2 - Ben Nevis. At 4,441 feet it is both the highest mountain in Scotland and the British Isles. The drive to get there is going to be as much of a challenge as the climb itself (it is 420 miles from my home). This is virgin territory for me as I have only seen it from afar, so far.
• August - British Isles Four Peaks 3 - Scafell Pike. At 3,209 feet it is the highest mountain in England. Whilst I have never actually climbed this one I did get quite close once. One weekend along with my daughter Nicky, her husband Loz and my nephew, Ryan Kelly, we got as far as setting up base camp in Kendal one Friday evening. We woke on Saturday to rain and low cloud that forced us to explore the pubs in that town instead. What a pleasant weekend. I promise to try harder this time.
• September - British Isles Four Peaks 4 - Carrauntoohil. The highest mountain in Ireland stands at 3,406 feet. It is the smallest of the four peaks in the British Isles but is less developed as a walker’s route than the other three. Again, it is virgin territory for me.