‘Snaps for Winnie’

On 22nd April 2025 my daughter Winnie died of cancer.

She had been diagnosed 10 months earlier with a very rare and very aggressive tumour (Ewing Sarcoma). She underwent months of intensive treatment necessitating multiple admissions to hospital and experienced numerous complications.

She never complained once throughout this journey though. Or felt sorry for herself.

I took a lot of strength from that.

Winnie was quirky, kind, intelligent (yes I know most parents think this; but don’t take my word for it), funny, selfless and fiercely determined. She was passionate and always (very) outspoken on issues of equality and diversity. She never judged anyone other than on their words and actions.

Winnie was mid-way through a law degree (she was determined to become a barrister, a KC in fact) when she became ill, and fought hard to continue with her second year. Which she did for many months, often from a hospital bed or day treatment unit. She was the smartest person most of us knew. She used to joke and say that she was waiting for the law degree to get hard! I honestly believe she would have changed a small part of the world for the better.

Sadly, we knew from the outset that Winnie’s life expectancy was going to be short. Her main concern from that point onwards was not about herself, but that her family, partner and friends were all going to be okay after she died. I promised her multiple times that we would be. So one way I am honouring that promise is to undertake a bike ride from London to Paris for the Ella Dawson Foundation.

This is a national charity that is very dear to both Winnie and I. Their ethos is all about supporting young people to live well with cancer, with a focus on mental health, diet, exercise and wellbeing. Winnie saw a specialist nutritionist and clinical psychologist through the Foundation. The kindness and expertise we have received from everybody involved there has been exceptional.

One of their fund-raising events is this bike ride. London to Paris is 311 miles, spread over 4 days, including over 14,000 feet of ascending, ending on the iconic Champs-Elysees (Tour de France fans will know the significance of this!). The ride is taking place this September.

Most of you who know me however, know that I have a chronic lower back problem. For that reason I had to give up riding road bikes over a decade ago. So to make this even harder and prove a point (that I can actually do this), I am going to ride to Paris on a Brompton. Happily now also with two of my oldest and dearest friends who have generously agreed to accompany me.

For those that don’t know, a Brompton is a small folding bike with tiny wheels originally designed for hipsters to ride around East London. It’s not really designed for long distance riding. Or non-hipsters such as myself (!). Mainly because it will require the rider to put in a much bigger effort than all of the other cyclists doing the ride on more sensible fit-for-purpose bikes. But it does mean I can ride in a ‘sat up’ position for my back.

So my plan is to train hard now (tick), and then rely on a lot of French patisserie, coffee, ibuprofen, and the camaraderie of my two friends (who have also committed to doing the ride on similarly ridiculous bikes) to actually get me to Paris! My bike is named ‘The Flying Pumpkin’ as it is bright orange & I aim to ‘fly’ to Paris; but more importantly because Winnie loved everything Halloween related.

So please sponsor me. In memory and honour of my beloved Winnie. Everything we raise will go to the Ella Dawson Foundation.

Final point is that for those who don’t know the ‘Snaps for ….’ reference, go and watch the film Legally Blonde which was one of Winnie’s favourites.