Thank you so much for visiting my JustGiving page. In 2020, I embarked upon the first section of The Way of St Francis by walking from Florence to Assisi. The following year, I put my boots and rucksack on again and completed the challenge by walking from Assisi to Rome. All in all, I walked about 523 km in aid of Winston’s Wish, a charity close to my heart. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, I raised £4635 for this wonderful cause. This year, I’ll be returning to Italy to tackle part of the Via Francigena by walking from Aosta, near the border with Switzerland, to Fiorenzuola d’Arda, some 285 km further south. As always, I’ll be walking alone, staying in the cheapest accommodation possible and carrying everything I need in my rucksack. In the process, I hope to raise £1000. I had planned to do this walk last autumn but, having broken my back in the summer, had to postpone until now. The good news is that I’ve been training hard and hope I’ll be able to make it this time around.

Winston’s Wish does amazing work to help children cope with their grief after the death of a parent or sibling. Such a loss can be devastating, but with the right support at the right time, delivered in the right way, these children can go on to flourish and lead full and rewarding lives.

My own dad died in 1972, just before my fourteenth birthday, leaving behind my mum, sister and me, the eldest of five brothers. Of course, we were heartbroken, but it wasn’t until much later in life that I realised what a profound and long-lasting impact it had had on us all. I’m sure that, given appropriate support through our grieving, things could have been so much better. Having worked in education for over thirty years, I’ve witnessed many occasions when a child has had to cope with the death of their mum, dad, or sometimes both, at the most sensitive and vulnerable time in their lives. It’s not always easy to know what to say or do for the best. That’s why I’m walking for Winston’s Wish, a charity that has supported literally thousands of children and young people, helping them adjust to their new reality and, in time, to feel hopeful about the future.

I’ll start my ‘pilgrimage’ on the 17th April and hope to reach my destination twelve days later. It will be tough going, especially for an old chap like me, but it will all be worth it if I can raise some money for this brilliant charity. Please donate whatever you can.

You’ll be able to follow my progress as I post updates on my Justgiving page at the end of every day.

I’m delighted to tell you that Winston’s Wish has accepted me as an official Volunteer Community Ambassador, so I’m really looking forward to spreading the word and supporting the cause.

Thank you,

Paul