When I became President in April 2019 my chosen charity was Cheltenham Animal Shelter.

I absolutely wanted to engage with other charities that I came across and the above is one such cause.

Rugby plays a huge part in my life and I know it does with a lot of you.

You would have seen the very recent documentary about Rob Burrow’s (Leeds Rugby League player) year with Motor Neurone Disease and there is also the ongoing battle for Doddie Weir, former Scottish and British Lions Rugby Union lock forward who suffers from MND too.

With this in mind I am joining my friend Allen Prior for another big walk in aid of MND. Allen is dedicating the rest of his walking year to fund raise for Doddie's charity foundation.

Both Allen and I have lost family to MND.

Allen is a former Institute President and Insurance Charities Fund President and Director. He also claims to have played lock forward in an unmemorable amateur career for Old Suttonians (which he founded in 1970) and for Old Patesians, when he moved to Cheltenham in 1973.

So this month, we are planning a walk from Gloucester Rugby Club at Kingsholm (starting at 6am), going down through the Docks and on down the Canal to the Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge…..and then back to Kingsholm. We will walk for 26 miles and 385 yards on Monday 26th October.

If you were able to donate and publicise the walk that would be amazing. Please go to Allen's Just Giving page as below.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Allen-Prior

Thankyou everyone. Stay safe

Best wishes

Simon McGill

IICG President