This year Mike and I (Edd) will be taking part in the Devizes To Westminster International Canoe Race, aka the DW, in memory of my dad Kevin Dobson.

Dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September of 2019 and was given a life expectancy of 4 - 6 months. He was an experienced and passionate canoeist who'd competed in the DW 5 times, racing 3 times in the C2 (Canoe) class with his good friend Paul.

After Dad's diagnosis, Dad and I planned to take part in the 2020 DW race, with the intention of raising money for Dorothy House. They were an integral part of keeping him going throughout his cancer treatment, whilst encouraging him to do everything he could to continue getting out on the water. However, Easter weekend fell a month over his life expectancy. So it was already a tall order!

Dad made it to Easter and the start day of the DW, however due to the Covid 19 pandemic the race was cancelled and so we never got the chance to canoe to Westminster together!

Mike and I took part in the race last year in the K2 class, which finished at Teddington lock due to dangerously high river levels. We'd agreed we would one day do the race in the Canoe that dad and I (and also Paul) had used, as a tribute to him. Unknown to me, Mike had promised my dad that however it panned out, if needed he'd jump in the canoe and get me to Westminster one day, and of course, I had also promised him I would get myself there.

So, 5 years on that is exactly what we're aiming to do, fulfilling the promises we made. We'd also like to raise a bit of money for Dorothy House along the way, to show our appreciation and help say thank you to those who helped my dad.