Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Last summer my Dad, Peter Griffiths, was fighting a very brave, but ultimately unsuccessful battle with cancer. Over the course of ten days he went from being a reasonably healthy (red-wine allowing!) 65 year-old, to someone with days, then hours to live. For all of us, for Mum, for my brother and I, for the rest of our family and friends, and most of all for Dad, it was a really dark time.

For the final week of his life Dad was cared for by the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at The Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted.

The team at the Hospice did an amazing job of caring for Dad, giving him the highest levels of medical attention. Perhaps more importantly, they did it in such a way that Dad received all the respect, dignity and love he deserved, at the time in his life when he most needed it.

They also looked after us, his family and friends, over the last days of Dad's life, while we were still coming to terms with what was happening, so quickly and cruelly. And they did it all in such a wonderful manner, that even when we thought it was unbearable, it was not (albeit just)... I am not sure what we would have done without them.

Since Dad's death, their care and attention continues to support us - from the regular bereavement counselling they have provided us, to the invites to Dad's grandchildren for the Christmas party.

The Hospice of St Francis is truly a wonderful institution (and believe me, I'm not easily impressed!). 

And so I have decided to raise money to make sure that The Hospice of St Francis can continue to help provide the amazing (and very costly) support and care to other families and their loved-ones. The money I raise will help the Hospice care for those who are dying and for those who are bereaved and allow them to go on doing it in such a loving and dignified way.

On 27th June, together with eight other souls (all dear foolish friends), we will be setting out to complete the Lake District 10 Peak Challenge. A one day walk, covering 26km, we will climb ten of the highest mountains in England. We'll be walking non-stop for nearly 14 hours, and climbing up and down  over 7,000 ft (roughly twice the height of Scarfell Pike, England's highest mountain). We are told it is the toughest physical walk the Lakes has to offer, which considering it was a place my Dad loved, seems pretty apposite. 

Please sponsor me for whatever amount you feel you can, so that I can give as much to The Hospice of St Francis.

• If you know me, sponsor me because you know I'll need every inducement possible to drag my sorry arse up 10 mountains in a day. 
  
• If you knew Dad, sponsor me in his memory, and also because you know he'd be laughing at my pain and discomfort over every one of the 26km I'm walking.
  
• And if you don't know either of us, sponsor me because The Hospice of St Francis is a brilliant place, that brings calm, and dignity and love even in the darkest hours.
  

Thank you for whatever support you can give - it is massively appreciated by me, and more importantly by all the families who benefit from The Hospice of St Francis.

And now for the technical blurb:

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.