I am taking part in an organised fundraising walk around Powderham Castle for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) on 18 May.

I will be doing it NAKED, along with the others taking part.

Why?

Just over a year ago, out of the blue, I suffered an aortic dissection. It is fatal in the majority of cases. Taking part in the walk and raising funds for the BHF is my way of saying thank you to the surgeons and medical teams at Derriford Hospital together with those at Exeter RD&E who did what was needed to save my life. I owe them a lot, an understatement if ever there was one.

I have accepted that life has to be much gentler for me now and that I can no longer participate in my passion for Taekwon-Do and some other activities. While the walk is only 3 miles long, doing it naked and telling you all about it still means that it presents a challenge for me.

Whether the thought of me walking naked in the woods and pastures around Powderham shocks or makes you smile, I hope that you think my effort deserves your support. And of course, you are welcome to join me on the day and take part yourselves either to raise more funds or to just enjoy the walk.

Any support you give will help the BHF. It funds around £100 million of research each year into all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them: Heart diseases; Stroke; Vascular dementia; Diabetes. They're all connected, and they're all under the microscope. I am particularly grateful as early in his career, it funded some research carried out by the surgeon that operated on me.