Over the last three years we have completed an annual walk, raising over £8000 which was divided between our local 12th century village church, Severn Hospice and Marie Curie nurses. Last year our son, Jamie, came from Australia to join us, Andrew, Mary and Lorna; he found it so rewarding that he expressed the wish to repeat the experience. So, although last year was intended to be our last, we will be attempting a fourth walk in May this year. As Andrew and Mary will, by then, both be 83 years old they will be walking shorter distances each day, and will be providing back-up for the younger pair.

The proposed walk is part of the Shropshire Way in the south of the county: thirty miles from Bridges to Craven Arms. Jamie will again be walking barefoot, as he did last year following the example set by 15 year old Mary Jones in the year 1800. We will be raising money for Severn Hospice, whose staff provide wonderful end-of-life care for many in our community.

We are extremely grateful to all of our previous sponsors and all donations received this year will be much appreciated by the hospice. The costs incurred in this venture will, as previously, be met privately.

Severn Hospice helps families from the moment they're referred to its care for as long as they need it, and it does this every day, all day for anyone in Shropshire and Mid Wales who needs that help.

It does this for them free, but it is not without cost and it can't happen without you. For every £1 you donate, the hospice will spend 88p directly on care – and use the remaining 12p to make another £1.

Last year, all those individual donations meant the hospice could be there when it mattered for 3,000 local families.