On 17th October I begin my attempt to walk the full length of the UK, from John O'Groats to Land's End. Hiking an average of 20 miles/day over 8 weeks with a 15kg pack, and camping for the majority of the journey, the 1,000 mile route will take me through some of the UK's most beautiful countryside, from the Cairngorm Highlands in Scotland, Yorkshire Dales in...well...Yorkshire, to Dartmoor in Devon.

This attempt is to provide support to Shelter From The Storm, a completely free emergency night shelter providing bed, dinner and breakfast for up to 44 homeless people every night of the year.

The shelter relies fully on private donations (plus it's a REEEEAAAALLLY long walk) so please give generously!!!

(Also, if you fancy a walk, whether it be a day, a weekend or even a week, get in touch so I don't get too lonely and mad! The route map and approximate dates are in the page photo, so don't be shy...)

'Established in 2007 as a response to the increasing levels of homelessness and destitution on the streets of London, our mission is to house and support the homeless in London whoever they are.

At Shelter from the Storm we do not waste time and energy worrying about whose responsibility someone is or who’s going to pick up the tab … we will. Because we raise all our own money without a penny from the Government we can and do receive guests from anywhere; from the Probation Service to the Red Cross, from Guildford to Ghana, regardless of their access to funding. We have guests who are fleeing torture, forced marriage, honour crime, trafficking for work or sex and plenty who have just fallen through the cracks of our society.   Whether it’s an ex squaddie with post traumatic stress compounded by alcoholism, a domestic worker kept in slavery or a young person thrown out by their family for being gay, our volunteers care for each guest as an individual.

With amazing skill, experience and love, we pick up the pieces from the human fallout; we’ll find them a doctor, a counsellor, a lawyer, training, a job. Each evening they sit down to eat together; a simple ritual for most of us, but for many of them it will be the first time they’ve done that since they left home.

We started with one night in a church hall and now we care for up to 44 men and women every night, 365 days a year.   Shelter from the Storm truly is a place of transformation not only for our guests, but for all of us'.