Some of you may be aware that at the end of September I suffered a small Medullary Stroke which has affected the sensation in my left side and has caused extreme fatigue over the past few weeks.

I am keen to return to my walking (although I am sure the dogs will not be quite so keen now that the weather is changing!) and I need a bit of an incentive to do this... I have had the idea of slowly increasing my walking distance over the next few weeks until I am able to do a 5k walk (approximately 8000 steps for me).

I have basically spent the last few weeks on the sofa, and I have now reached the stage where I can make it out for a walk of a couple of hundred metres, but that's all. I am not quite sure how long this challenge will take me to do - my goal is to achieve it by my birthday at the beginning of December - but I have to work up to it slowly and make sure I don't push myself too far too soon - and of course winter is approaching...

This is where you all come in... Because of what happened, I was unable to undertake the little October Schnauzerfest walk that my friend and I had been planning, so I wondered if you could help me to generate an incentive. Would you be willing to support me by making a donation to Schnauzerfest, however small, and thereby help me with the impetus I need to do this challenge?

I am one of the Trustees of Schnauzerfest, a charity that raises money to pay for the veterinary care needed by dogs saved from puppy farms and other poor backgrounds. It is a charity very close to my heart, as Mungo (whom we lost around this time last year) was one of the unfortunates who benefitted from a Schnauzerfest grant to pay for much needed veterinary care when he was first rescued, before he came to us. Supporting Schnauzerfest means that this vital rescue work can continue to be supported, and many more dogs' lives can be transformed.