I’m raising money for Sue Ryder/Manorlands by trekking Mont Blanc (and now 'Zipping the Cow' as well, with my good friends Nicola Sanders and Maria Ward). The walk covers three countries in three days, and ends the day before the first anniversary of Jo’s death. Apparently it will involve very early starts, and lots of ups and downs on rough terrain... I don't know which will be harder for me!

For anyone that doesn't know, Jo Woodiwiss was the love of my life: my partner for 21 years, and my friend for three years before that. In June last year she had a slight cough. After a couple of weeks she went to the GP, who sent her to hospital. Scans showed a mass on her lungs. We found out that it was cancer, and terminal, on the 30th of June. On the 19th of September she died. She never got chance to get her head round what was happening to her, and I'm still in shock that our life together ended so suddenly, and so soon after we had moved into our dream home, and were loving our new life in the country.

When Jo was discharged from hospital, we were supported at home by a Manorlands community nurse. Later we both moved into a room at the hospice, where Jo spent her final 12 days. Since then, I’ve received grief counselling through Manorlands, and benefitted from Sue Ryder’s wider Grief Kind work.

In memory of Jo, I want to raise as much money as I can for Sue Ryder/Manorlands. I now know just how vital their work is, and it staggers me that they’re reliant on public donations rather than government funding.

Thanks for reading!