Local mum, Nicola Noble, and her Jack Russell, Flo, are about to embark on an inspirational walking challenge in support of The Forever Friends Appeal’s RUH Cancer Care Campaign. Between Monday 9th and Saturday 14th May, Nic and Flo will walk a total of 100 miles around the RUH’s extensive catchment area, walking between The Forever Friends Appeal’s four Community Fundraising Groups.

Nic has decided to take on this remarkable challenge to mark the tenth year of the Appeal’s Walk of Life, which was set up in memory of her inspirational sister, Vanessa Kyte. The 100 mile walk will also celebrate the achievements of the Appeal’s four Community Fundraising Groups, all of which are based around the hospital’s extensive catchment area in Midsomer Norton, Bath, Chippenham and Warminster.

Nic and Flo’s walk will begin in Devizes and travel through Chippenham, Bath, Radstock, Warminster, and back to Devizes. On Saturday 14th May, Nic will finish the final 21 miles of her challenge by taking part in the Walk of Life, which takes place along the beautiful Kennet and Avon Canal, starting in Devizes Wharf and finishing in Bath’s Sydney Gardens.

The Forever Friends Appeal’s Community Fundraising Groups are very proud of Nic and all that she has done for The Appeal over the last ten years, and they will be supporting her every step of the way on her challenge. Each Group has planned a special event in order to welcome Nic when she arrives in their respective home towns, with fundraising activities ranging from yarnbombing to finger painting, and collections to sweepstakes on the number of paw prints Flo will have made!

The Midsomer Norton RUH Fundraising Group will be holding a supermarket spinathon in Radstock Co-op between 12 noon and 5 pm on Wednesday, 11th May so pop by for lots of fundraising fun and help to support these amazing local volunteers.

All funds raised from both Nic’s 100 mile walk and the Community Groups’ supporting events will be dedicated towards The Forever Friends Appeal’s RUH Cancer Care Campaign. The Appeal are the primary charity for Bath’s Royal United Hospital and their current major campaign is raising a minimum target of £8.5 million towards a pioneering new Cancer Centre at the RUH, which will transform Cancer Care for thousands of patients and their families across the RUH Catchment Area.

Nic became involved with The Forever Friends Appeal with her sister, Vanessa Kyte, in 2003, following Ness’ diagnosis with breast cancer in 2000. These two amazing sisters completed a number of different challenges to raise funds for the RUH, the most well-known of which was the March and May Miles Walks of 2006 and 2007. March Miles was the first time that the two sisters completed a walk of the RUH catchment area, and it is this original walk that Nic has decided to replicate with her “Go With The Flo” event.

Sadly Ness lost her battle with cancer in 2007, and a wonderful mother, daughter, sister, wife, fundraiser and friend was taken far too soon. However, Ness’s strength and positivity lives on in her sister, and Nic is doing everything in her power to ensure that future patients will be treated in better facilities than the RUH’s currently outdated war-time Oncology Department.

Nicola comments, "One promise, ten years, hundreds of walkers and thousands of pounds – a wonderful legacy for my beautiful sister. I am taking on this challenge to celebrate ten years of amazing fundraising, by walking around the community which will benefit so enormously from this new Cancer Centre."

"I am asking local businesses, groups and individuals to get involved, however, they can, whether it’s by sponsoring my walk with Flo or joining me for the final leg by entering the Walk of Life. How amazing that local people can help to provide the building blocks of a pioneering Cancer Centre which will transform care for thousands of local patients and their families for years to come."

Nic and The Appeal now need your help! With the outstanding support of the Community, the Appeal has currently managed to raise a total of £7.2 million towards their minimum target. However, they still have a long way to go! If you would like to sponsor Nic on her challenge, you can find her JustGiving Page via: www.justgiving.com/Nic-Noble-GoWithTheFlo. Alternatively, if you would like to join Nic on the final leg of her journey, and take part in the Appeal’s 10th Walk of Life on Saturday 14th May, you can register for a place at: www.foreverfriendsappeal.com