I spent 2023/4 walking and drawing my way along the UK's longest national trail, the southwest coast path, in order to raise funds for the Association which preserves it, and for Dementia UK. The coast path, which runs 630 miles along the coast from Poole to Minehead, celebrates its 50th birthday in 2023, so i produced 50 drawings and paintings inspired by the walk - one for every year!

If you want to KNOW MORE, please read on. If you want to go straight to DONATING to either of my fund-raising pots, please click the DONATE to a TEAM MEMBER button on the right. It will show you my face twice (sorry!). If you click on the top one it will take you to the Southwest Coast Path Association donation page. The lower button will take you to the Dementia UK page.

I have called the trail the Creative Path, not just because it took me on my own creative journey, but because I am also offering Creative Path workshops to communities, encouraging more people to experience the joy of getting outside and being creative.

I feel very connected to the path. Starting from Poole where I got married, it winds through Devon where I grew up and towards Penzance, where my father was born and, aged 23, left to go to war. The north coast of Devon and Cornwall is somewhere my father took me as a child and where I, later, took my own children. There are some stretches that are particularly poignant for me. Walking from Sidmouth to Exeter reminded me very much of my mum. After an Alzheimer's diagnosis, she had to leave her Exeter home of 50 years to come and live with us in Dorset. We broke up the stress of the move by staying in Sidmouth for the night, and I have fond memories of us walking cliff paths there - the last time we did so together.

It is for these reasons that I'm fundraising for both Demential UK and The Southwest Coast Path Association. In supporting my fundraising efforts, you may choose to split your donation between the two charities, or opt to support just one. Please follow the links below to donate to whichever you choose.

The Southwest Coast Path Association is the charity which helps to protect and maintain all 630 miles of the trail, and is kindly supporting me in this project, so I am raising funds to help it continue its important work. It costs £945,000 a year just to keep this valuable path open, protected and in good shape. If you are someone who has walked it, cares about right to roam, and/or cares about protecting our coastline, then please consider donating what you can to help.

I am also raising money for Dementia UK which, as many of you will already know is a charity close to my heart. Their specially trained Admiral Nurses offer invaluable and informed support to people impacted by dementia via their free helpline, as well as in community, NHS and private care settings. No words can express how meaningful that help was for my mother, myself and my family throughout the six years we were struggling to navigate and adapt to the impact of dementia - and I will never forget that. Many of you will already had experience of living with dementia, or know someone who is. If so, you will understand how important it is that this sort of support is available. Please do support, if you can. THANK YOU.