Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Back, many years ago, when I was just 19, my little brother, Chris, was killed by a car. Christopher John 'Derby' Prescott was just 4 and a half years old.

Of course this devastated our family, my wonderful little brother gone in the blink of an eye.

Having had the privilege of being a teacher for most of my career; teaching at Secondary, Primary and a variety of Special Needs schools, I want to do as much as I can for children everywhere and one charity that I have become so close to is Acorns Children's Hospice in the West Midlands.

Helping over 700 children each year with a wide variety of life-limiting conditions, helping over 1,000 families a year, providing the highest quality care in their three children's hospices and at the children's homes; Acorns Children's Hospice is known and loved throughout the Midlands.

Knowing that in some way, by you kindly giving a donation to this wonderful, exemplary charity, I am helping the children I have had the privilege to meet at each hospice, helping the amazing staff that run them and helping ensure that the love and care that every child receives at such a vulnerable time, well it will definitely keep me pedaling!

With Chris it was here today, gone tomorrow. His death wasn't quite instantaneous, we had two days before his poor body died.

Families though who have a child with a life-limiting condition can go through months or even years of seeing their dearly loved child ill.

Yet Acorns Children's Hospices are a place of colour, light, laughter and even fun. They are about making memories for families to treasure when their child has gone.

https://www.acorns.org.uk/

So thank you for giving a kind donation. Every penny is vital and every donation gives such a massive boost.

What will I be doing?

Glad you asked . . .

I am going to cycle, starting April 1st, from the Walsall Acorns Children's Hospice to Slad, Gloucestershire. There I will be able to follow the route taken by Laurie Lee, the author of a famous book called Cider with Rosie.

Laurie Lee started his walk in 1934, walking eventually to Andalucia in Spain.

During April I will cycle Laurie's route in England; Slad to Southampton, to London and eventually to Portsmouth.

Reaching Vigo in North-western Spain, adjacent to the Portuguese border, by ferry, train and bicycle, I will spend May and June cycling the route Laurie walked, reaching my and his final destination, Malaga at the end of June.

My adventures will be available for all to read on my Biking Birder blog . . .

https://bikingbirder2016.blogspot.com/

During my adventure I hope to birdwatch, see incredible British and Spanish landscapes and landmarks, meet wonderful people and learn more about the incredible Laurie Lee.

As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thanks everyone and much love to you all,

Gary