About 5 years ago, out of the blue, my wonderful wife Helen got affected by a number of auto immune diseases, including Sjogren's Disease, Lupus and Fibromyalgia.

As a result, her life was affected immensely. From being fully independent, able to drive, run, walk, dance and you name it, she is now chronically tired, almost constantly in some level of pain and has to move about supported by either a specialist crutch or a mobility scooter.

It's almost impossible to imagine how this will have affected her mentally. Thankfully, Helen is very strong and has a life philosophy of "glass half full".

However, when The Wren Project contacted her and offered a bi-monthly friendly video chat focused on listening support, she was delighted. After only a couple of sessions, Helen has found these conversations so valuable, allowing her to express her feelings freely in a safe environment.

I personally have seen the positive impact this has had, and therefore I have decided to fund raise for The Wren Project, so that they hopefully can use these funds to assist more people like Helen. Their aim is to reduce the loneliness, grief and isolation felt by many following a life-changing diagnosis.

My commitment is to walk the entire length of the Trans Pennine Trail (www.transpenninetrail.org.uk), coast-to-coast from Southport to Hornsea. It is a 215 mile track and therefore I will be doing this in stages spread across 2026. Naturally I will document every stage, including walking route and any interesting photo opportunities that present themselves.

If you can donate even a small amount, it will be very much appreciated. Know that every penny will be going directly to The Wren Project, so that they can continue to offer this valuable service to more people affected by auto-immune diseases.

Thank you!