The Book of Joe

This is Joe:

He's a determined chap as you can see. Although if the below picture is to be believed, I also think he believes he can fly. Who knows, maybe he can ?

Joe is the guy who showed me round on my first day back in August 2012, and tried his best to scare the bejesus out of me with one of his stories. He almost did. But his help and guidance was absolutely invaluable in my first few weeks as I got used to the hospice and its unique environment. He's one of the nicest people I have ever met and a big reason as to why I'm going on the trek.

Now if you asked Joe, he would tell you he is going as my interpreter, however Joe is barely able to speak English himself, being that he is from 'ooop north' in some god forsaken place called 'Bolton' (at least I think that's what he said) where for example they have a word 'hurrr' which describes what Joe has on his head and I do not.
No, he is a big reason for me because Joe gives so much of himself to the hospice. After his wife received care here, Joe retired from work and is either here at the Woodside Park hospice or at the Enfield day centre, most day of the week, for several hours at a time. He can always be found in patients rooms chatting to them or their families (he literally has no idea what happens in the 'kitchen') or taking them out for walks, bringing in papers and reading to them. He has meant so much to so many families over the last few years that he has been asked to give talks and presentations on behalf of the hospice and recently won the 'Volunteer of the Year' award from the International Journal of Palliative Nursing Awards 2014 (http://www.northlondonhospice.org/north-london-hospice-volunteer-wins-international-award/) and rightly so.

Joe is always in a good mood and infects the place with his cheerful enthusiasm and his desire to help others. He means so much to so many people and I am privileged to call him my friend. Without people like Joe and places like the North London Hospice the world would be a much lesser place.

"Whose turn is it to do the dishes ?"










Mr Attridge, I salute you sir !

Now the running. Now thats not been going so well ! Still havent managed to beat my PB of 46:15 and have had some difficulties it might be said. Paula Radcliffe style difficulties. And before you jump up to say 'what, wondering how on earth you can beat the women's world marathon record ?' well no that wasn't the issue. Lets just say that the fully kitted out film crew trailers outside Hampstead Heath that morning rescued me from a potentially very embarrassing situation. Working on the Banksy principle of 'its easier to get forgiveness than permission' I made use of the facilities. As I went to leave a posh looking film type chap was coming in but rather than question what a sweaty runner with a backpack was doing there he stood aside to let me out like a quintessentially polite chap. Thank you my friend ! I hope he only needed the urinal...

Out for a run shortly and going for the first trek in my new super comfy trekking boots tomorrow - Hampstead Heath here I come !

Please sponsor me here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobertDuffySahara2014 

Toodles...

Boots bought, it now feels real...

So the boots are bought for the trek across the Sahara, got a good deal from a very helpful young lad in a very nice shop just off Covent Garden. He asked where I was going, and when, so I told him - Morocco, October, the Sahara Desert. He considered this thoughtfully and told me it was going to be hot. I waited for him to tell me it was also going to be sandy but he didn't. Maybe he wanted it to be a surprise. 

Still, the boots were £50 off and didn't have a gore-tex membrane, so I was in, and already familiar with trekker lingo. I could possibly hold my own at a gathering of such people.  

So, the blog then. Well as anyone reading probably knows i'm doing the trek to help raise funds for North London Hospice, where I volunteer most Saturday mornings, and here it is looking resplendent in the sunshine last Saturday at 8am:

You see its very nice. The reasons why I volunteer and why I do it are on the just-giving site where all sponsorship will be gladly received:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobertDuffySahara2014 

So last saturday was a fairly typical shift, although I did spend more time with one of the patients than I normally get to do, as he needed feeding and all the nurses were busy. Its fair to say we hit it off, although my squash making skills were brought into question as it took me 3 goes to get it just how he wanted it. He was doing really well, although sadly his illness made it difficult for him to speak so conversations took quite a while ! None more so than when his wife called and I acted as the conduit - a lack of knowledge of sanding and varnishing floors on my part didn't help, but we got there in the end, with poached eggs on toast polished off and one satisfied squash drinker. 

Back in the kitchen and all the nurses were hard at work (ie striking poses):

From left to right - Gulad (the other volunteer on the breakfast shift), Katherine, Anne and Angie. All wonderful people who help make the atmosphere what it is in the place.

My training has had mixed results so far, as I try to lose weight as well as run as much as possible. The running is going well, and am up to 3 times a week running the 5 miles to work from Finchley Central to Kentish Town, however the eating well is not, meaning the weight isnt going down and the runs arent getting any easier !  

Last week I did Monday in 47 mins 39 secs then I played football on Tuesday and despite my best intentions it was pretty much impossible for me to run on Wednesday morning as I just ached ! Thursday it was 46 mins 48 secs, and here's a lovely picture of me finishing at the gym in Kentish Town at around 7am:

I do seem to be rather shocked by it all. On Friday it was much harder (2 days in a row) and I only managed 47 mins 47 secs (which im blaming on my girlfriend Su and her 'welcome home doughnut' of Thursday evening). Ah, shes brilliant - but not helping my cause there ! But I did seem a little happier - possibly because I knew it was 3 days until the next run ! 

Ok that's enough of the sweaty selfies... 

Until next week :)

Rob (sponsor me please !!)