Thank you for taking the time to look at my Just Giving page.

Organised by the Alzheimer's Society, I am planning to trek along the Great Wall of China, and will be away from 6 – 15 October this year, in order to raise as much money as I can for the Alzheimer’s Society – at the very least £3000! In the months leading up to the trek I will also be doing a number of fundraising activities here at home.

My Mum, Barbara, died from Alzheimer’s disease in May 2010, after suffering for 4 or 5 years, and it is this that has prompted me to do this trek. Alzheimer’s disease is a cruel condition, affecting family members just as much. So many people are affected, and will be affected in the future by this disease, it is vital that the research that is taking place continues.

I hope you feel you are able to give towards this worthy cause. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

I’ve posted on here a few pictures of my Mum, including one with me when I was a lot younger (taken in Cornwall around 1964), and one of me now, so you can see what I look like today! (what on earth happened??)

I also wanted to describe my Mum for you...

Barbara was born in Didsbury, Manchester, in 1919, a twin and one of four girls. At school she loved English literature and poetry, especially Dickens and Shakespeare, which she was able to recite until not long before she died. She was also a demon on the left wing for the Whalley Range Girl’s School hockey team, as well as the St James’s (Didsbury) church team, a place to which she gave much over the years.

Her first job was as a secretary at Hans Reynolds (chains), which during the war was converted to make munitions. She learned typing and shorthand, and before the war used to go with my Dad to watch him race motorbikes (he was good, and he used to win). They were married in 1942 when he was home for a weeks’ leave from the Fleet Air Arm, not to see each other again for three years. My Dad often said that the best thing he ever did was to marry Mum, and so it proved, as they were devoted to each other for 67 years.

Later Mum worked in their shop in Didsbury, and took up golf when I left home. She proved to be a very good golfer, winning the Centenary Medal during Cheadle Golf Club’s centenary year. When she was 75 Mum learned French at evening class. She was also a whizz at crosswords, winning the Daily Mail prize crossword on several occasions, the last when she was 85.

Her last few years were difficult as Alzheimer’s disease increasingly took hold, but despite this she was always cheerful, with a ready smile and a kind word for anyone.