Please note - just giving doesn’t let me split the funds equally between the two charities and will ask you to pick one. Go for whichever cause you feel inclined to - but if you aren’t worried and just want to support either as worthy causes - then please consider splitting your donation or picking the one which is lower to equalise it as much as possible. Thank you 🙏

On the weekend of 8th and 9th August 2026 I am going to walk the Hadrian's Wall Path. It's an 84-mile (135 km) long National Trail that stretches from Wallsend in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west (although I expect to do it West to East). This trail follows the line of the Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by the Romans in the 2nd century AD.

I'm doing this walk to raise some funds for two very worthy causes. They are:

The Police Children's Charity - perhaps a little known charity to many, and one I had barely even given a second thought to until 2023. They are a charity who help children of police officers by helping to ease the financial pressures of bringing up children in the face of life-changing circumstances. These circumstances could involve the death of the Police Donor Parent or their partner, or where the Police Donor takes early medical retirement. This applies to both on and off duty incidents or issues.

And, Winston's Wish - who are a children's bereavement charity offering support, counselling and guidance to families affected by bereavements.

Both charities are amazing. The Police Children's Charity supported me with financial support when John died, helping towards day to day costs and easing some of that stress and pressure. (Serving cops - you can pay into this for a few pounds a month through your salary - please consider it!)

Winston's Wish have supported me with guidance and resources to help Beth and Joe - not only in those first days and weeks, but also since. Both kids have made use of their group counselling sessions, books and memory boxes, and benefitted hugely from learning coping strategies and talking to other bereaved children.

So I want to give something back to those causes. At the time I got through by putting one foot in front of the other, taking one day at a time... sometimes taking it just one hour, or one minute at a time. Life has gradually found a new normal, and it's only when I look back over the last few years that I see how far we've come. One. Step. At. A. Time.

This is going to be exactly the same approach. 84 miles. Somewhere between 24 and 36hours of solid walking. Just one step at a time. I'm being accompanied by a friend, who is equally mad, and hugely better than me at reading maps, to ensure that I don't get lost and do extra miles. The aim is to complete it with minimal breaks and stops. A reminder that one step at a time is what it takes.

Please donate, as little or as much as you can. It all makes a difference. These charities bring support to families, and helps them at a time when none of us know quite what to do or what to say. And as someone who has received that support, I can't even begin to explain what it means to receive.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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.