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WOW!  We reached our initial target before we've set off - thank you all so much and to everyone continuing to contribute as we make our way to Cromer.

Monday 5th May
We've done it!!! We walked onto the pier at Cromer at exactly 3pm this afternoon having walked
101.5 miles since Thursday. Yesterday and today were particularly challenging as the temperature went up and the terrain became tricky - today we walked about 5 miles of shingle beach and we certainly felt it. But what we feel now is a fantastic sense of achievement spurred on and encouraged by all our support - family and friends who have been there for us. We met people today who encouraged us along the way and were met by a rapturous reception on Cromer Pier.
We know the money raised is going towards an incredibly important fund and that the research being done is saving more lives.
We feel euphoric if a little knackered and just about lacking blisters but really have enjoyed the challenge.
Support is still coming in and - still very welcome. We'll let you know how things go.....

Sunday 4th May (Posted by Simon again for similar reasons to below ! )

Sara and Judith are getting on really well - the training. walks are paying off. They finished the Peddars Way yesterday morning and are now on the coast - the coastal path is different and more interesting after the long straight stretches up the PW. They are now meeting a lot more people as they go along and have been grateful for the support they have been given and have been particularly touched by several donations they have been given during these chance encounters.

Today they are walking between Brancaster and Blakeney and are still being blessed with some nice weather although it was cool first thing this morning.

Tomorrow the final stretch from Blakeney to Cromer: they are hoping to set out before 8 a.m. and to be approaching Cromer about 3 p.m. - the forecast is good so come and see them home on the Pier (or join them for part of the last lap)!

Progress update Friday 2nd May at 22.00 (posted by Simon S. - Sara and Judith have safely reached Great Bircham, N of  Fakenham but have quickly understood why there is such pressure for better rural broadband across many areas of the Country as they found it difficult to post any sort of update) So, with apologies for any typos here it is on their behalf:

We have completed 2 days walking now and our feet are starting to feel it! 42 miles down, 58 to go. The weather hasn't been too bad- only a little rain but chilly today. We have met very few people on the remote parts of the walk so far (it will be different as we go along the coast on this Bank Holiday weekend). However there is one chance meeting that stands out and will stay with us: near Thompson Water yesterday a lady walking her dog asked us about our walk (we are wearing L & L R T shirts). It transpired that her Nephew has recently undergone a BMT and was suffering badly with after effects. Sara explained her story briefly and tried to convey the positives in that. She was so grateful for raising the awareness of the research but also said a heartfelt thank you to us for our efforts - she understood how important the ongoing research is to save more livesH. It spurred us on and we felt really quite emotional.

Everyone's support has been amazing and we so appreciate it when tired and flagging we remind ourselves what you are giving and it spurs us on up the next  - seemingly unending - track. It has been straight, straight, straight towards the Coast today.Hopefully,now , some better weather together with some sun and sea air, Thanks once again for your support.

Sara Smith and Judith Battersby,both from Mellis, near Eye in Suffolk are training for their Big Walk to beat blood cancers over the Bank holiday weekend 1-5 May 2014.

The research fund is very important to Sara's family. Sara and Simon's middle son, Will, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia a short time before his 14th birthday in 2007. After intensive treatment he went into remission 6 months later but relapsed in September 2008 and was re-admitted to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge. He then travelled to Bristol Children's Hospital where he spent weeks in isolation following a bone marrow transplant donated from his younger brother Henry, then aged 12. Will was discharged from Bristol just after his 15th birthday in January 2009. He turned 20 in January this year and is now 5 years post transplant and has remained well ever since. Sara, Simon, Will and his brothers Ollie and Henry feel that now is the right time to raise money for this very important area of research. They know that without the research done to date, there will have been a very strong chance that Will would not be with them today. Judith and her family gave immense support throughout that difficult time and have continued to do so. "Going on training walks in the rain and cold in the last few months, Judith has been fantastic. Always laughing, hugely supportive and incredibly encouraging."

Sara and Judith are setting off on 1st May from Knettishall Heath, near Thetford at the start of the Peddars Way and will be walking nearly 100 miles over the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coastal Path. They are hoping to achieve this over five days finishing in triumph on Cromer Pier on the afternoon of Bank Holiday Monday 5th May.

Sara says "It now feels so right to be giving something back. The hard training over the winter will be worth every mile and penny raised for such vital research".

Raising money will help continue life-saving research into better treatments and cures for leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. 

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