I will be virtually cycling the 266 miles (428 kms) from Norfolk to Holyhead on my exercise bike and then I will get my bathing costume
on and will be doing a gentle breaststroke from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire 66 miles(106kms) in the local pool. I will also do the occasional few open water floats in  Lynford Water which count double the distance as it is very cold. I will be adding in some miles on the rowing machine as I simply cannot swim that far and may drown. I will then do the virtual 137 miles (221km) miles from Dun Laoghaire to Sligo by jogging/walking/ambling around Norfolk. I intend to do the final couple of miles in person on the actual roads of Sligo and finish at the North West Hospice when we go over for a visit to Ireland in June. Hopefully this will be June 2022 rather than 2023 but this is also a possibility.

Those of you who don’t know me might imagine me to be a sporty type. This is a very wrong assumption. I am an ageing fat person, far from fit and expanding by the day but feeling positive nonetheless. In these sad and difficult times I want to focus on doing a good thing. I know people are called on to donate to all sorts of charities at the moment and we are all struggling so no pressure. If you can give something, anything, that will be splendid.

I am doing this in memory of my sister-in-law Berni Regan, who I sadly did not have the chance to get to know well, but who was so loved by family and friends. She was supported by this hospice in her final days.

North West Hospice provides specialist care with compassion for those living with life-limiting illness in Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan. To maintain their current level of service, they must raise over €1 million every year from fundraising events, voluntary contributions, donations and bequests. This is a huge challenge, which they can only meet through the generosity and goodwill of individuals and groups in our community.