Mother and daughter take on New Moon at MoonWalk Scotland

Originally, a friend suggested The MoonWalk to me and I loved the idea. I decided to do The MoonWalk Scotland for the challenge and to keep fit. We started with a charity 5k walk, then needed a bigger challenge so did the full MoonWalk challenge in 2005. I was hooked on the Walk the Walk events after that!

Since then I have seen for myself the difference Walk the Walk has made to people living with cancer and it motivates me to come back again and again.

Not only do I enjoy walking, but I have volunteered at many events too. Volunteering adds a whole new dimension – supporting thousands of walkers is hugely satisfying. The events couldn’t run without the dedication of hundreds of volunteers – they are complete superstars and I love being part of the team!

I think another thing that attracted me originally was I felt it was empowering – the idea of walking around London or Edinburgh in a decorated bra with thousands of other women really spoke to me. I’ve never been sporty so I was delighted to find something I could enjoy at my own pace but which would also benefit my health. It was fun too!

I now follow Walk the Walk on all social media and read just about everything that’s posted! It’s easy then to decide which events I might like to do and I can register my interest so that I get any info I might like sent through easily.

This year, my daughter Phoebe is ten and she is now old enough to do her first Walk the Walk event with me! As part of our training, Phoebe and I walked to and from school every day and took a long walk with our dog at the weekends. We were both nervous about her first event but we knew she’d love being part of it!

The New Moon Challenge is just 6.55 miles, which is the perfect challenge for those that can’t, or prefer not to walk a longer distance.

Not only did Phoebe and I walk this year but, we were joined by my sister Laura and my nieces Alice (11) and Tanith (10)

We asked friends and family to sponsor us – and they were very supportive of Phoebe walking for the first time.

I have always loved decorating my bra for the events, but this time we wore our WTW bra T-shirts with pride. The girls were quite disappointed we wouldn't allow them to wear decorated bras until they’re a little older.

If I had a message to encourage others to join in the fun I would say the following:

Anyone can put on a pair of trainers and get walking! You are doing something amazing for yourself before you even get to the event. On the night, you will be so inspired by the people around you – all ages, all shapes and sizes, all there to make a difference for themselves, and for those living with cancer.

Following the night, Debs said: “We had an amazing night! Phoebe and her cousins loved every minute of it and were asking to do it next year as soon as they crossed the finish line! They absolutely loved feeling like VIPs too”

Feeling inspired? Register your Interest for The MoonWalk Scotland or the New Moon Challenge in 2020 here.