24th March 2018 Raffle

Statuette Raffle

Whilst I attended the WRAC Association AGM on Saturday 17^th March 2018 at the Victory Service Club in London I drew the raffle for the lovely Waffle-stitch Throw that my sister-in-law had made. At the end of the meeting I was approached by Cathy Munroe, MBE who kindly and very generously offered another prize for me to raffle. The winner of this raffle, which will be drawn in April 2018, will have the choice of any one of these three statuettes, engraved with whatever wording they’d like to choose and posted directly to them from Phoenix Rising Gifts.



If you win you choose which statuette and what wording

To be in with a chance to win all you have to do is donate £5 (or multiples thereof) to my walk with the word “Statuette”

Donate via my Virgin Money Giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

     (or search for me on the VMG site using my name “Margaret Davies”)
You can also donate by contacting me via the Comments on this Blog leaving contact details and I can get back to you.

The WINNER with No 25 was Pat Neale

Thank you to everyone who donated so generously

23rd March 2018

There’s Snow Stopping Me!!

Worcester to Birmingham Canal

 

It’s been a busy time since my last Blog entry. Despite the weather I have continued with my practice/training walks. I have tried to vary the type of training to focus on different areas of fitness. Sometimes I incorporate climbs (& descents) to strengthen my knees. I’ve also done a few distance walks just to prove to myself I can still walk that far!! My other focus is on speed walking mainly to build up my general fitness – it’ll also help me with my training for the Norwich 10K I’m doing in August 2018!! Most of these training walks have been mostly in and around Worcester and neighbouring Malvern thanks to the snow. Only trouble with snow is that it melts - leaving some local flooding.

A flooded Chapter Meadows with Worcester Cathedral in the background 

However, my main walking has just been for the pure pleasure of getting out in the fresh air, sometimes with friends, and enjoying the views, sounds and company. The Great Outdoors is a wonderful gym and walking keeps me reasonably fit, slightly less fat and bordering on sanity!!

 

Proof that I don't always end up in a pub!!
Half-way point on my distance walk round Worcester

I’ve also been busy raising funds for my charities. The raffle for the WRAC Colours Waffle-Stitch Throw was hugely successful raising an amazing £210 in total. A huge Thank-you to all those who donated so generously and congratulations to Shirley Taper on winning!! Keep a look-out for a couple more raffles with some amazing prizes.

Raffle, March 2018

Waffle Throw Raffle!

To raise funds for my 100 Mile Solo Walking Challenge 2018 I am raffling this lovely 1.5 metre square hand-crochet throw. It is in Waffle Stich (“How appropriate Marg!” I hear you say!!), in a flecked Burgundy and Bottle Green light-weight but warm wool with a gold border (think WRAC flag colours-ish!)

 

 
I will draw the winning number this Saturday 17^th March at the Victory Service Club in London where the WRAC Association AGM is being held.


 
Tickets are £5 per Raffle Number (I write your name against the next number on my list)

Please remember to give me your name & contact details for when you win!!

 Pay online at my Virgin Money Giving page  https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC
OR
Pay me at VSC on Saturday if you are going to the AGM
OR
PM/Message/Text/Email me & I’ll give you my address so you can post it to me.

February into March 2018

Walking into March 2018

My!!!  Didn't we have some snow!! We're fairly lucky in Worcester as bad weather tends to dump on the Welsh Mountains, Malvern Hills or the Cotswolds before it gets to us. It did tend to make my walks a bit shorter than usual but I still got plenty of exercise trying to keep my balance on the slippy surfaces.

Worcester in the Snow

Fortunately I have some hardy Walking Buddies who spurred me on to climb the Worcestershire Beacon on Monday despite the cold. After we'd warmed ourselves with a coffee and something to eat at Waitrose café we parked at the Clock Tower Car Park at the northern end of the hills and gradually climbed to the top of the Beacon.





Some of us are better at having our photos taken than others - unless we had entered a Gurning competition!!
When we reached the top we could see that on the Worcestershire side of the hill the snow had mostly vanished whilst on the Herefordshire side there seemed to be plenty of snow still around.
My thanks again to Ali and Jo (& not forgetting Tam the dog!) for their company on my training walks.

As we had filled our faces before the walk we decided to give the pub a miss - this time!! Maybe the next walk!!

Short Practice Walk 20th Feb

Practice Short Walk 20th February 2018

Malvern Hills in the sunshine

I've been doing lots of walking since Christmas. During my 20 sessions of Radiotherapy I walked to and from the hospital each time clocking up an impressive 140 miles over the period!!

Today was a warm-up walk trying to build up speed over climbing. I love walking Malvern Hills when its not too busy. There were quite a few folks out today but I think the cool wind and threatening sky kept the masses away.

This is a view of The Worcestershire Beacon with Malvern and the Severn Valley basking in the sunshine.

Really pleased with the speed of the 1st half of my walk. Please note that although I have 2 glasses one is water & the other beer!! 

                                                         A Spring Poem

Spring is sprung   (and the crocus & snowdrops) 

The grass is rizz   (as are the moles!!)

I wonder where the birdies izz?

The birds are on the wing

But that's absurd - the wings are on the bird!!

100 Mile Walk Challenge 2018

100 Mile Walk Challenge 2018

Walk to Commemorate & Thank the Ladies of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (A.T.S.)

Welcome Back to my Blog

My 2018 Walk

It’s that time of year again when I start the final preparations for my Solo 100 Mile Walking Challenge. I’ve been busy since I finished last year’s walk in Stratford upon Avon in March.

This year’s walk will be in Norfolk starting near Swaffham, Norfolk walking along The Peddars Way to Hunstanton and then along the Norfolk Coast Path to finish in Great Yarmouth. I have chosen this route because on 11^th May 1943 Whitfield House Hostel, where the A.T.S. were billeted, was bombed and 26 A.T.S. girls died. I hope to finish my walk at the Burlington Palm Court Hotel (which was built on the bombed site) where a memorial plaque has been placed.

Me & my Charities

My name is Margaret (Marg) Davies. I am Welsh (originally from Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire) & I have been walking for pleasure since my age was in single digits!! From school I went to Art College & then joined the Army for 5 years as a Short Service commissioned officer in the Women’s Royal Army Corps. From there I went back to college and re-trained as a primary school teacher. I remained in teaching for nearly 30 years in Nottinghamshire and finally in Worcestershire where I now live.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. I went through a couple of operations & 5 years of treatment for cancer. In 2013 I was given the all clear. I thought I was home free but 2017 was the year that I discovered I was still living with cancer. I discovered another lump which proved to be cancerous and have undergone another two operations and 20 sessions of radiotherapy (I also had to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my face!!) Unlike last time, when I had chemotherapy and felt quite ill, this time I was determined to try and stay fit and I’m more determined than ever to complete my Walking Challenge in May 2018.

This year I am raising funds for two charities that are very close to my heart. Firstly my local Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven charity that set up and run the excellent unit where all my diagnosis and care was organised. It is a small local charity that punches well above its weight! The care that I have received in and through this calm and peaceful unit in the grounds of Worcestershire Royal Hospital cannot be faulted. My other charity is the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association (incorporating the QMAAC & ATS Comrades Association) as it is thanks to their work in re-connecting and supporting ex-soldiers like me that I have the extra boost I need to continue to live my life so well with cancer. Through the Association I am able to be inspired by remarkable women who know the true meaning of service and dedication without losing any ‘joie de vivre’

If you’d like to sponsor me please follow this link:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

You could also contact either of my two charities and they will pass your details onto me so I can contact you directly.

2017 Last Post

Saturday 25th March - Thank You All

This is (!?possibly?!) the final post of my 2017 Solo Walking Challenge

To date I have raised an amazing £4,227 (£4,858.75 including Gift Aid) via my Virgin Money Giving Site. I intend to deactivate the site sometime around June 2017 so hopefully everyone can get any outstanding donations in by then.

The link to my Virgin Money Giving Site is:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

Or search for me under "Make a donation" - "What's your friend's name" and type my name - Margaret Davies

It has been an amazing week when I have met and been supported by some fantastic, inspiring people. It has been a challenge, and rightly so. Maybe I 'shared' a bit too much information at times!! I guess quite a few people now realise that my life revolves around walking, food and real ale!! (Of course family goes without saying!!) They also may know that I get 'a bit' crabby when not fed and that I don't like heights . . . . . or mud!!

I have walked through some wonderfully 'English' Pastoral scenery, marvelled at the ingenuity and skill of the canal engineers and navigators and enjoyed the best weather I could have hoped for. I consider myself privileged and, not for the first time in my life, extremely lucky. Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey and donated their time and money to support this crazy adventure.

 

Saturday 11 March 2017 - National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffs 

A Week of Walking 

Arriving at Stratford upon Avon Saturday 18 March 2017  

 

Women's Royal Army Corps Association on Parade