Paul Butler, a counsellor who provides free emotional support to people affected by cancer, will set off on a solo 120-mile trek across Devon this September to raise money for the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity’s Fern Centre and for Chemo Hero, the charity that helps fund his post.
From Wembury to Lynton: the route and the cause
The 63-year-old from Chulmleigh will begin his challenge at Wembury Bay on 5 September, follow the Two Moors Way across Dartmoor and Exmoor and finish in Lynton on 17 September. The initiative, billed as ‘Coast to Coast for Cancer’, aims to raise at least £1,500, with the proceeds to be shared between the Fern Centre at North Devon District Hospital and Chemo Hero.
“The emotional and psychological impact of illness can often be one of the most difficult things for people to cope with and it’s not unusual for a cancer diagnosis or treatment to feel overwhelming,”
Paul spoke candidly about why he takes the work so personally: he has lost both his father and his brother to cancer, and his mother lived with a chronic form of leukaemia for many years. Working at the Fern Centre in Barnstaple, he has supported hundreds of patients and family members and says he hopes the walk will both raise funds and increase awareness of the emotional needs that accompany diagnosis and treatment.
Local impact and why the fundraising matters
The Fern Centre provides wellbeing and counselling services to people affected by cancer in North Devon; Chemo Hero is a charity that funds counselling roles such as Paul’s. While clinical treatment addresses the physical effects of cancer, access to psychological support is widely acknowledged as an important part of care and recovery. Money raised will contribute to sustaining the centre’s services and the funded counselling role, helping maintain support for local patients and families.
- Distance: 120 miles
- Start: Wembury Bay — 5 September
- Finish: Lynton — 17 September
- Target: £1,500 (shared between Fern Centre and Chemo Hero)
| Leg | Area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Wembury Bay | 5 Sept |
| Cross-country | Dartmoor & Exmoor (Two Moors Way) | 6–16 Sept (approx.) |
| Finish | Lynton | 17 Sept |
As a locally based counsellor, Paul’s work often involves helping patients and relatives navigate complex emotions that accompany illness. He told the North Devon charity he sees first-hand the difference that an opportunity to talk can make during and after treatment.
Local readers who wish to support the challenge are asked to look out for fundraising pages and events publicised by the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity and Chemo Hero in the coming weeks. The charities will hold details of how donations will be used and how funds raised for the Fern Centre support local services at North Devon District Hospital.
Paul sets out to combine personal commitment with public benefit: the trek will be a test of endurance across familiar Devon landscapes and a practical attempt to sustain the counselling services many local people rely on when facing cancer.
