This year, two inspirational young men died. One was 30, the other 29. I met one of them only once, and the other not at all. However, the deaths of both made a profound impact on me, along with countless other people.

I met Lukey Harding at Centreparcs. Specifically the Sports Bar. He had already been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, but you wouldn't have known it. We drank, we laughed and I even forgave him his love of Chelsea FC. I followed his courageous battle on Facebook from that evening on, right up until he finally lost the fight in February. During that time, his strength and inspirational determination to make every second count was staggering. He ran a half-marathon, walked round the Pembrokeshire Coast Path (part of it with a broken back) and raised thousands of pounds for the hospital wing that took such good care of him.

I never met Matt Campbell, but I know his uncle well. Matt, a professional chef who had reached the semi-finals on Masterchef, died suddenly while running the London Marathon in April. He was a supporter and fundraiser for the Brathay Trust, an organisation that his father worked for until his death in 2016, and which helps inspire young people to make positive choices and changes to their lives. He had run the Manchester marathon just a couple of weeks before. A week after his death, hundreds ran the final 3.7 miles of the race in his memory, and donations have reached an astonishing £369,000.

That these two extraordinary young men gave so much in the short time they were here puts me to shame. Therefore, to try and make up some of the shortfall, on 23rd June I will be attempting to walk 52.4 miles non-stop along the South Downs Way. As anyone who knows me will tell you, this isn't really something that will come easily to me. I am, by nature, more of a sedentary creature.

So please give generously. Or ungenerously. Just give something. I will split anything pledged between Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital and the Brathay Trust, two brilliant causes supported by two brilliant young men.

#teamharding #togetherstronger #finishformatt