“With a very heavy heart and on a cold and blustery day here in Shetland, I have had to make the very difficult decision to break off from my walk and return home to South Wales. It would have taken me another 2 years to conclude my walk and I would have been the first woman to walk around Britain and Ireland continuously, but I cannot ignore the profound impact that the Coronovirus is having, not only here in Shetland but around Britain, Ireland and the rest of the world.

This walk has demonstrated how kind people are and how close communities can be.

I arrived in Shetland on the 1st March having spent the last 13 months walking the whole Coast of Ireland, Wales, the North West of England, the mainland Coast of Scotland from Gretna Green to Aberdeen and 30 Islands including the Outer Hebrides and Orkney. In total I have walked 6405 miles and to date have raised nearly £59,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

I have had the absolute privilege of being asked by Alzheimer’s Research UK to become one of their Champions and I hope I have fulfilled that role by doing my very best to raise as much awareness and funding as I can at this time for this wonderful charity so very close to my heart.

Please stay with me until I restart this walk, your support has meant everything to me”.