Day 66 Extra. My Home Town.

Ferlin Husky sang a song with the above title. It started “I’m wondering if anyone remembers me, in my home town”.

That line has been running through my head lately.

My home town is Blackpool, and I have been walking towards it for 66 days now. It is, I can assure you, a very long way from where I live, especially travelling on Shanks’ Pony. I have rarely read of anyone walking so far, and never anybody 70 years of age.

I am receiving huge support in the way of blog readership, encouraging comments and e-mails, and donations to my chosen cause, Pancreatic Cancer UK. This support comes from all over Britain and all over the world. But not from Blackpool.

Blackpool is, as well as my home town and the end-point of my 70-day trek, the birthplace and final home of Gaile, my late first wife, in whose name is the fund associated with my walk. She was related to several illustrious footballers in the glorious past of Blackpool Football Club – providing a link between my walk and this year's triumphant return of Blackpool to top-flight football.

And yet, despite two substantial articles in the Blackpool Gazette, there has been very little from my home town in the way of support of any kind. There have been more donations to the fund from New Zealand than from Blackpool. More from the United States. More from France. More from Italy.

There have been scores of donations, which have taken the fund to 87% of the target of £7,000. Only two contributions have been from Blackpool.

I find this very disappointing. Or maybe the people of Blackpool have a penchant for teasing, saving it all for a last-minute rush?