I am eighty-six years old and have been a heart patient since 2008. Latterly, I needed a heart valve replacement in June 2022 and from the necessary TAVI operation I fortunately made a speedy recovery. I attribute much of my excellent recovery to the twice weekly lineside work sessions on the Bluebell, believing that regular suitable tasks and plenty of fresh air are a winning formula for regaining and maintaining fitness.

I would now like to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation as a meaningful gesture of thanks for my greatly improved fitness and the seventeen-year extension to my active life. Since my heart attack in 2008, I have completed seven years of leading mountain walking and a similar length of time doing catamaran sailing instruction.

I hope that this charity walk along the whole of the Bluebell railway line will give more confidence to potential heart patients, having learned of my encouraging heart experience.

We should all face the stark fact that none of us know when we might be the ones to find ourselves in urgent need of the help of medical science, so please give generously.

My sincere thanks and best wishes

John (AKA Dixie)