The National Army Museum is the national home of the British Army’s history and heritage and a leading authority on the British Army and its impact on society past and present. Through its galleries, exhibitions, collections and programmes, this history and heritage of our soldiers and their service in the British Army, across the globe and down the centuries, is preserved and shared. Their stories help us to understand today’s society and tomorrow’s challenges. The work of the National Army Museum spans centuries and continents, from the British Civil Wars to the Army’s role today.

I have been a trustee of the National Army Museum Development Trust for many years and believe passionately in the museum's mission. I have seen the successful redevelopment of the museum into its current form and am delighted that it will soon host the Lord Ascroft medal collection - the largest collection of Victoria Crosses in the world – currently more than 240 decorations – along with a smaller collection of George Crosses. These two medals are Britain and the Commonwealth’s most prestigious gallantry awards.

I would like to help safeguard the future of the museum by raising funds for it and thought that I could combine walking the Cammino di San Tommaso - starting at St Peter's Basilica in Rome and ending at St Thomas's Basilica in Ortona on the Adriatic coast - with doing a fundraiser. Ortona is of course well known to military history buffs as the site of the Battle of Ortona (the "Italian Stalingrad") where the 1st Canadian Infantry Division serving as part of Montgomerey's 8th Army had eight days of bloody fighting in December 1943 to clear the town. I will be paying my respects to the Canadian casualties buried at the nearby Moro River CWG cemetery.

Last but not least, I wanted to get this walk done before my 70th birthday, which I am celebrating two days after I am due to arrive in Ortona. Fingers crossed that my recently replaced left knee and right ankle last the course!