I will be 70 in 2026 and have signed up for the Great Wall of China Trek in November to challenge myself and raise money for E.C.H., where I volunteer as a van driver with the furniture team and the Christmas tree collection.

Our Trek will be a small group with a local guide exploring some of the more remote sections of the Great Wall.. it is 5500 miles long so we can't do it all in a week ! We will be able to compare some of the restored sections with parts of the original and crumbling wall, which we are warned will be challenging and steep to walk.

Do lots of training on steps and scree slopes they say. That's why we need a year to get fit !

The work E.C.H. do is truly life changing for so many patients and their families, which I saw up close and personal when my good friend and neighbour George was cared for at home in the last few months of his life. Hospice care doesn't change the ending but it changes absolutely everything about the journey. Because only 21% of the their funds come from Government, the rest has to come from donations, so your generosity really has an impact.

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.