Why UK, Not France?

I received a message this morning, like so "I do not want to detract from the great job you are attempting to do. My question is why donate to the UK and not to France where you live."

That's a reasonable question and it deserves an answer, which was:

"Thanks for your message and your good wishes.

The first objective of the walk is the symbolic 70 day walk from the house where I now live, to the house where I was born, to arrive on my 70th birthday. English people are more likely to understand this symbolism and in fact it was English people who suggested that I should use the event to raise money for a charity.

Also, I am better able to blog and otherwise publicise in English - in fact although I can make day to day conversation, I am incapable of writing large amounts French.

The reason I chose this particular charity is because my first wife Gaile died from Pancreatic cancer and she was English. In many ways this is something I am doing for my daughters.

So I am far more likely to raise money from an English audience.

Most of the work of Pancreatic Cancer UK is devoted to research to try to make some advances against this terrible illness. Benefits flowing from the research will benefit pancreatic cancer sufferers in all countries, not just Britain.

I understand the reasoning behind your question but I hope I have explained why I am doing as I am."

In fact a very high proportion of the donations made so far come from countries other than Britain.