Hi all,

Tom Lydon and myself are going to undertake a 26 mile game of golf (4 rounds in a day) at Naunton Down's Golf course on the 24th of August to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. I'm ptetty unfit so it's going to be messy.

I'm just going to try and explain why Prostate Cancer UK as a charity is such a big one for me personally and also why Tom and I are doing this 26 mile game of golf.

Most of you will know that in February 2020 (honestly screw this year), my Dad passed away after a fall caused a severe brain hemorrhage and subsequent stroke. It was relatively sudden and seemingly came out of nowhere. I don't really want to dwell on this as the effects of the stroke are not a reflection, in any way, of who my Dad was. His previous prostate cancer treatments and how he dealt with them with are however.

At the end of December 2019, things were looking positive, Dad rang the bell in the Radiotherapy unit at the hospital to signal his all clear from prostate cancer. Seeing how he'd dealt with the dissapointment and worry of the cancer returning after he'd had his prostate removed in January 2017, is one of my proudest memories of Dad. During the round of treatment with radiotherapy Dad, who was going into the whole thing with quite low spirits, found out that he had an amazing group of people around him who wanted to help however they could. He had so many offers of lifts from friends and family and he also made some great friends in other patients who were going through the same treatments that he was. His moods lifted considerably and, despite a brief blip with an extra hospital stay before his final radiotherapy appointment, he finished the frankly knackering experience in the best mental shape is seen him in since mum had passed away 6 years ago. This was due to the staff in the hospital, the NHS systems in place and also the amazing support given by Prostate Cancer UK. The fact that, on top of the amazing medical support dad had, the counselling/talking groups he could attend due to Prostate Cancer UK was amazing.

Dad also tried to give back some of the amazing support he received and between 2016 and 2019 raised a fair bit of money for Prostate Cancer UK and I think told nearly every man he ever met in the local pub crib league to get tested for prostate cancer. He sometimes told them 2-3 times in the same night if he wasn't driving and he'd been enjoying some Guinness.

On a more personal note relating to golf, this is something I only really started playing 6 years ago give or take. After mum died in July 2014, Dad had been finding things understandably tough and so Rosie and I decided to coax him into getting out and socialising more by 'playing' golf. We'd head along once a week or so and find all sorts of interesting ways to lose golf balls. Very quickly Dad (being retired) didn't find this enough and was out most days for a quick 9 or 18 with friends he'd made at golf. He absolutely loved it. He was awful at it but loved it. And, pretty much every weekend - weather permitting - Dad and I would have a round of golf. Ollie came along and it got trickier but we still mostly managed. With the exception of playing with Ollie, being on the golf course was where in the last 6 years Dad was always the happiest.

If you've read this far, thank you. Any money you can donate to the just giving page is really appreciated and really will go to a charity that helps so many.

One man dies of prostate cancer every 45 minutes, that's the time it takes to play three holes of golf.I'm golfing the distance and taking on The Big Golf Race to keep men in the game for longer. The money raised by this challenge will fund research into life-saving treatments for prostate cancer and provide practical support to men and their families.