Eleven years ago today my dad died and it is still gut wrenchingly sad. I am sorry if any of you have lost someone you love, but you will know that it is still hurts however much time passes you still miss them, want to talk to them, hear their voice, see their smile, have a beer ….

Dad was brave, brilliant, clever, funny, a superb sportsman and generally great man. He would say though you should never just say the good things so dad’s flaw (I see has passed on to me) was he liked to do things the hard way, weeding – lying down, cycling to work – would take the steeper route back – painting his car by with a brush.

Why am I telling you, well I wanted to do something to remember him by and to support the amazing people that helped him at Ward Nine (Musgrove Park Hospital) and Blood Cancer UK, who are trying to improve treatments for leukaemia, which dad died from.

So I am walking the South West Coast Path, not so hard you say only 630 miles, but I hadn’t appreciated how steep parts of it are and how close to the edges you have to walk at times. This is all fine and dandy if you aren’t scared of heights but I am; I feel sick, dizzy, shaky legs and bizarrely get drawn to the edge. So this is a big challenge and I have to say 455 miles in it hasn’t gone away, but every step has been awesome and I think Dad would appreciate it.

If you are able to donate £1 to support our causes that would be fantastic thank you https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/KitBarrington