My dad loved walking along the coast just down the road and he would have turned 67 on 15th May, so taking part in Pier to Pier this year is poignant.

My dad was absolutely fine, he was always out cycling, always going out for walks on holidays. He’d just finished working the night shift at Stanstead Airport as he always had been for 25 years. 

You can play the ‘what ifs’; I've been playing what ifs for the last four months, but that would never bring someone back, so I guess my motivation for taking part in Pier to Pier, is I want to give back to the local community. Although my dad didn't directly receive support from St Helena, he was always super supportive of the Hospice. He knew that I worked there when I was a kid of 21 and got my foot on the career ladder there. 

It’s been nice to have something to focus on and aim towards, because when something like that happens and then the funeral ends, it's really strange. I feel like I've gone from denial into, what's next? Maybe we’ll do it every year now in his memory.

I can't believe how much we've raised so far! We said we'll try and smash £500 and we’ve gone over £1,750! I work in Curry’s head office and the manager of the Blackpool store, Adele Jackson, and her team have decided to do the walk virtually in Blackpool on the same day and fundraise for St Helena Hospice! I was blown away when she told me. She’s done a brilliant job of getting her team involved, and McAfee, one of our suppliers, has kindly sponsored a few bits. From the Essex to Blackpool Coast… we’re committed to raising lots of money for St Helena!