On 5^th April, Mark will be taking on a special challenge to mark his 60^th birthday – walking along the Coventry Canal Towpath from Hawkesbury Junction to The Market Tavern Tap pub in Atherstone.

Mark said:

My friend is the landlord at the pub so it would only be polite to stop in for a pint or two to celebrate walking the distance and turning 60!

For Mark, reaching this milestone birthday is something he does not take for granted. He added:

I wanted to take on a challenge when I reached 60 to be grateful that I am still here! Sadly, I’ve lost friends and family who didn’t make it to 60, some of whom were cared for by Myton. I know I’m not alone in feeling deeply grateful for the work they do.

Mark, his son and other family members & friends will be walking the 13.5-mile distance, just over a half marathon, to raise vital funds for The Myton Hospices. Mark said:

The most challenging part of this will definitely be the long stretch from Hawkesbury Junction to The Anchor at Hartshill – we estimate it to take about two and a half hours of solid walking. But making it to The Market Tavern, taking off my boots, meeting my wife Dawn and celebrating 60 years with friends and family, some of whom will also be joining me on this escapade, will make it all worth it!

Mark’s first encounter with Myton dates back to the 1990s, when he used to take part in a quiz in Coventry. Mark added:

One of the teams, the ‘Mytoneers’, won quite often and they always donated their prize money to the hospice. Back then, I assumed Myton was part of the NHS, but I’ve since learned it isn’t and relies heavily on charitable donations.

Now, as Mark reaches this significant milestone, he is determined to give back, aiming to raise £500 for The Myton Hospices.

Myton doesn’t just provide end of life care, it helps people live well in the time they have left. I want to do something to support that.

Marc Dwyer, Challenge Events Lead at The Myton Hospices, said:

Everyone at Myton would like to say Happy Birthday to Mark and we wish him the best of luck for his challenge. Each year, we have to raise over £11 million to continue providing expert palliative and end of life care to people living with a life-limiting illness, and their families, across Coventry and Warwickshire. We couldn’t do this without the amazing support of people in our community, like Mark. Thank you!

Support Mark HERE!

Are you’re feeling inspired and would like to take part in one of our events or organise your own challenge to raise vital funds for Myton?

Find out more HERE!