why?
Put simply enough I enjoy walking aimlessly for miles and miles so thought I'd combine that with the opportunity to raise a few quid for some charities that have had both direct and indirect effects on me and my family.
THE CHARITIES
"The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK's only national charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis. CF is one of the most common life-threatening diseases in the UK today with over 8000 people affected by it."
My sister Louise lived with Cystic Fibrosis until her death 10 years ago. The courage and humility with which she bore her condition still serves to help me keep life's hurdles in perspective and to keep me going in adversity. It also reminds me not to take for granted the simple good health I enjoy. Her jokes were rubbish though.....
"The message of the charity is simple: We are strictly non political and non critical; we simply want to help. We believe that anyone who volunteers to serve in time of war, knowing that they may risk all, is a hero. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and some of them are living with the consequences of their service for life. We may not be able to prevent our soldiers from being wounded, but together we can help them get better."
In my current job I've spent many, many months working in Afghanistan and Iraq and have been involved in many medevac flights to extract wounded personnel out of theatre to specialist medical care elsewhere. H4H seeks to improve the facilities that are available to these injured troops and their families during their long road to recovery.
"The RAF Association provides help and advice, assistance, comradeship and, where required, welfare and care for the whole RAF family"
There has been a member of my family in the RAF continuously since 1929 (which may go some way to explain the current state of it...) so I've always felt and had very close links to the RAF and the community that goes with it. Whilst the "popularity" of charities like H4H are both understandable and correct it is important not to forget the other service charities. RAFA seeks to support all those that have served in the RAF - from WWII right up to the present day.
