Andy's Giving Page

My Story

I'm raising money for Cancer Research UK, when I join #TEAMPEN to take part in the Shine Night Walk Half Marathon, London 2026, on the 19th of September. A year ago, I was keeping my better half Emily company, training for a charity walk she was about to do with her Uni girlfriends. Today, we did our latest training walk together, unfathomably in the name of our dear friend Penny, who we lost to cancer on the 20th of June. A uni friend of Emily's,, but also a friendship that goes all the way back to when they were 7 years old at school together. 47 years of a very special friendship. But still cut way too short. These relationships run deep amongst a genuinely special group of people, and I am priviliged to have called Penny a dear friend. Much loved by Emily, me and the girls, Pen felt a natural extension of our family unit, and was Godmother to our eldest daughter, Elsie. It's difficult to compute that todays training walks are now in memory of Penny. There were so many incredible aspects to Pen's life that made her who she was (party girl /business woman / glass ceiling slayer / girls girl / sailor) and I'm continuing to discover ever more since she died so terribly young, back in June. Diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer only 5 weeks earlier, it was the cruelest of timings, having taken early retirement in February this year with plans for her & husband Edd, to embrace the life laid out ahead of them, alongside Edd's son, Pen's step-son, Al. #TeamPen would be grateful for any donation you can manage in supporting cancer research and as our own lasting gesture to one of the kindest and most very special of friends.