2026 Winner
TRACEY HOWE
Walked 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain in memory of her wife, raising more than £70,000 for charity, meeting amazing people along the way and sharing her story
Tracey’s wife Angela died of blood cancer in 2023, aged 58. Determined to find a way to not only deal with her grief after 37 years together, but also create something positive out of tragedy, she began Tracey’s Trek.
Starting from Glasgow on November 1, 2024, she began to walk the length of Britain’s coastline, a total of 5,000 miles. The year-long expedition saw her walking an average of 17 miles a day, taking more than 11 million steps, through all weathers and terrain and sleeping each night in a van she named Priscilla.
Retired professor Tracey, 61, hoped to help raise awareness of cancer and fundraise for five different cancer charities, the Beatson Cancer charity, Marie Curie, Brainstrust, Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel!, which supported the couple during Angela’s illness.
Tracey said that walking was a way of “processing my grief and trying to come to terms with being one person instead of two”. She added: “When I started, it was just a year since Angela had died, and I was really immersed in my grief. I was crying a lot every day and shouting at the weather and battling the elements, because it was winter time.
“Sometimes I would call on Angela to give me a hand, to give me a push up the hill. Angela always knew I was a bit bonkers, so she wouldn’t have been surprised, but she would have been my biggest cheerleader and supporter.”
Throughout her journey, Tracey gave handmade crocheted hearts to people she met as a symbol of love and remembrance and Olympic diver Tom Daley joined in, donating crocheted hearts to help raise funds.
The Olympic star said: “When I heard about Tracey’s incredible fundraising walk, I started crocheting that night. Her story really resonated with me.”