Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Some of you will know me by my given name of David, others will know me by my life-long nickname of Charlie.  Two years ago I was diagnosed with cancer of the right vocal chord.  I had two successful operations, and whilst I have been left with a weakened voice I am obviously happy not to have to dwell on the alternative outcome, thanks to the ENT Department of the Royal Preston Hospital.

To celebrate life I decided to take on the marathon task of completing all of the 214 Lakeland summits known as the Wainwrights.  My first round had taken me fifty-one years!  Donning my trusty Mountain Warehouse boots I set off again by climbing Rossett Pike on 22^nd April 2016.  I had hoped to complete all within a year but further treatments, life’s events and not having a Lake District base conspired against this.  I have however kept my other personal promise to record photographic evidence of me on every summit.  Eighteen months later I have just climbed number 178, Place Fell, and I have 178 accompanying images.  On several occasions I have done as many as ten new tops in a day, and I had hoped to be finished by my 70^th birthday in November.  Despite the shorter days I still hope to have it all done and dusted by the end of the year.

In order to make my challenge memorable and worthwhile, and in gratitude to give something back to the community I have set up two justgiving pages, one for Wasdale Mountain Rescue and the other for St Catherine’s Hospice, Preston.  Ideally the two appeals would have been
combined but this isn’t possible on justgiving.  I would dearly like to raise a similar amount for both, but any contribution is welcome.

When I was a young fellwalker School Camp was in Nether Wasdale, and I was always aware of and reassured by the presence of the Mountain Rescue – indeed over the years they have brought to safety several people I know, some quite seriously injured.  Without the work of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue the most picturesque part of the country, Wastwater, would be less safe.

Whilst I have been lucky (so far), I went through the whole range of thoughts and feelings around cancer, and I’m aware that several people I encountered on my journey were not so lucky.  St Catherine’s is a cause close to my heart, and it is tragic that such institutions have to rely on charity.

If you think my task and my causes are worthwhile, I should be grateful for any contribution to whichever charity you should choose.  Many thanks for taking the trouble to read this.  In the meantime I shall plough on with my challenge – only 36 to go!

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