Doug's Big Hitch  (The Kindness of Strangers)

I'm going to hitch hike from John O'Groats to Land's End: a challenge to raise 'a ridiculously large amount' of money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. My daughter-in-law, Nicoletta, has this insidious, challenging and unpredictable condition: my choice of charity was therefore easy. 

Why this ‘trip’? I wanted some sort of 'worthy' adventure, to work through what Nicoletta has, lovingly, labelled my "later life crisis"! My continuing heart failure means any major physical challenge would nowadays be problematic, and not advised. I also didn’t want to be anywhere where, if in crisis, I couldn’t call on the NHS. Last summer, I read a book about a guy who hitched around New Zealand. More recently, I wrote some bits of my memoir recalling youthful hitch hiking adventure (with Turkey to the UK being my biggest ever hitch). Somehow this seems to have sown a seed, which is now becoming a reality. Despite hitchhikers having almost disappeared in recent years, I'm choosing to believe and have faith in the kindness of strangers to get me there.

I intend to start the 875 miles to Land's End from the iconic John O’Groats sign post early on Monday June 5th. I’ve no real idea how long it will take: at least two days, but I hope not as long as two weeks (Laundry crisis looming!) I'd like to be home for my 67th birthday on 16th, but hey, given the inherent uncertainty of hitching, who knows...

Can you please do two things? 

First, pretty obviously, sponsor me. However ridiculous or crazy or marvellous you think I’m being by doing this, you’ll hopefully acknowledge it’s a big, once in a lifetime endeavour, therefore well worth sponsoring. You can donate through this page or JustTextGiving, texting to 70070 my code - BIGH50 -  and the amount you want to donate. If you prefer to get money to me some other way, email me on dugosling@aol.com or ring me on 07914 358775. (Everything you sponsor will go to MS Society; I am covering all the trip costs from my own pocket.)

The second thing I really need you to do is pass on this ‘invitation’ to family, friends, friends of friends - actually just about anyone and everyone you can! Could you please share, forward, tweet, cut and paste, use word of mouth, or everyotherwhichway to get this to catch fire and get so far ‘out there’. Then I can be confident that a serious amount of the money I raise comes from the kindness of strangers: people who do not know me personally but who are prepared to throw in a few quid to make this ageing fella feel, as I walk (stagger?) the last few yards up to the final iconic signpost at Lands End, that it was a totally worthwhile thing to do.

I have only 64  Facebook ‘friends’, but of the 45 UK based ones, they have a total of just over 9,000 friends. If they share this to people, who then share it on, who then share it on, etc.,etc., even if I don’t go viral, I'd like to get seriously infected through it! I just hope hundreds - no, actually thousands - of people out there read this and feel inspired to put their hand into their pockets to support an older man's unusual adventure for a very worthy cause. That's why I've chosen such an ambitiously large target for my fundraising! 

As well as updates on this page, I'll also be using Facebook. I will try to do regular updates as I travel, for those interested in my progress (or lack of it!) I'll welcome and accept all requests to become a Facebook friend if you want to see those updates. 

And one more request - if you live within 5-10 miles of my intended route and could offer a basic overnight crash if I end my day's hitching in your area, please let me know! Its basically A99, A9, M9, M80, M73, M74, A74(M), M6, M5, A30. Yes, it's a long way!

The M S Society advised me to use JustGiving for fundraising my Big Hitch. 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.

Thank you so much - for reading all this and for your support - anything and everything you can do to make this a smashing, social media fuelled, fundraising success!!