On 1st June this year, myself and a group of family and friends will take on a 66km walk to raise money for colon cancer research, a fundraising initiative for 40tude, www.40tude.org.uk , our chosen charity.

As someone who was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in late 2020, I will always be grateful for the care and support that I received. Three years on and I am able to lead an entirely normal life, so this walk is a way for me to say thank you and raise awareness for this form of cancer and the importance of regular screening.

The walk will begin at London Welsh RFC, include over 40km of the Thames towpath, a number of small detours and will end at Reeds Weybridge RFC. These two Clubs have been a large part of my life over the last 45-50 years, first as a player and more recently as a coach, hence 40tude’s own connections with rugby makes them the perfect partner.

How can you help? We all know someone who knows someone impacted by colon/bowel cancer, so if you are able to donate, I know for a fact how grateful 40tude will be for any money raised, and how wisely it will be spent.

Thank you on behalf of the Route 66 Team.

Nige, Karen, Dan, Matt, Jules, Sue, Jon, Sally, Neil, Kathy, Laura, Oshin, Cookey, Ed, Jes, Rodders, Mark, Chrissy, Herbie, Corns, Billy, George, Dai, Barrel, Jenks, Lou, Serge, Will, Huw, Yoss.

“1 in 15 men and 1 in 18 women are at risk of developing colon cancer. The really good news is that colon cancer is also preventable, through regular screening, significantly reducing the risk of developing this type of cancer. Find out more on 40tude's website at www.40tude.org.uk"