Over just four days in May, I'll be walking the width of England. Specifically, the full 84-mile length of Hadrian's Wall in Northern England.

I imagine the first day will be ok. I've been training by doing 20 mile walks.

But then I'll be waking up with aching limbs on the second day. That will be... interesting to then walk another 20 miles.

The third day will be, I envision, murder!

The fourth day will be... well, we'll see. 😬

So why am I putting myself through this?

Suicide prevention.

Few of us will not have been affected by suicide, either directly or indirectly. It's a cause particularly close to my heart, and I suspect many of yours.

Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under the age of 35 in the UK. Every year over 1800 young people take their own lives.

PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person through their helpline, HOPELINE247. Each donation keeps this line running 24 hours a day.

The Licence to Queer community already raised over £3,000 for PAPYRUS in 2024:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/licencetoqueer-timetodonate

I'm delighted to be raising funds for PAPYRUS in 2026, and particularly happy that the 7400 children and 1000+ staff at my workplace are doing the same. We'll be taking part in a variety of fundraisers throughout the year, all in aid of PAPYRUS. The big staff challenge is Hadrian's Wall.

Any donations are very gratefully received!

- David

The cover photo is from last year's slightly unhinged charity challenge - the Three Peaks: three mountains in under 24 hours!

If you're wondering why I've called this year's challenge The Writing's on Hadrian's Wall, it's because

1. I'm pathologically unable to *not* make some kind of connection with James Bond (The Writing's on the Wall is the title song of 2015's SPECTRE, by Sam Smith)

2. I really don't know how this is going to turn out 😅