TOP STORY What A Walk

The Cardgains Look Out London event totally smashed its fundraising target as 50 cardies trekked 25 miles in a circular route around the capital in memory of David Hicks, founder of Really Good and Soul, who died last year, having been suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. Members of the greeting card community put their best feet forward recently with the Cardgains Charity Challenge surpassing all expectations and had raised an incredible £42,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) as PG went to press, with more to come.

In addition to the Cardgains team, among those participating included representatives from Abacus, Cardology, Creative Sparrow, Danilo, Doodlepress, Emma Bryan Design, Emotional Rescue, Gemar, House of Cards, Hugs & Kisses, Hyve, The Imaging Centre, Marina B, Nigel Quiney, Pioneer, Progressive Greetings, Presentation, Rush for quite a sunny day, and fundraising has been beyond anything we could have imagined.” As she added: “The biggest thank you goes not only to those who took part but to those who sponsored us and raised such an amazing amount for MDNA - it’s unbelievable!”

Speaking for the Emotional Rescue contingent of David Greaves, Jennie Rutter and himself, Brett Smith joked: “Did we enjoy it? Are you mental! But the lunchtime sandwiches were good!”

Danilo md Daniel Prince, added: “I had a fabulous time with industry friends, and am personally really pleased to do something to help support MDNA, I love the whole thing, even the training! I am so delighted by the support I have received, enabling me to raise almost £5,000 for this worthy cause.” promised dip in London’s Serpentine if he and Rush Design founder wife Lorraine hit their £2,000 personal fundraising target, admitted: “My feet are throbbing like sausages! But it was amazing. It was no walk jn the park although we did walk through certain parks!”

Indie retailer Caroline Ranwell, of Hugs & Kisses in Tettenhall, said: “Jonny and I were £50 off raising £2,000 - but just as we finished the walk, PG’s Jakki Brown donated to take us over that milestone!” while the comments from their pal Andrea Pindar, of Presentation Cards & Gifts in Barrowford, about the only bit of her wasn’t aching wouldn’t look out of place on a Dean Morris card!

Design, Skylight Media, Start

Licensing, UK Greetings, Woodmansterne, Words n Wishes and Wrendale Designs

And even before the troops started stepping out from Paddington Basin in the warm rain at 7.45am on June 29, the buying group’s £25,000 target in memory of industry legend David Hicks had already been exceeded - and, by the time that evening celebrations were over the total had topped £39,000 and has been climbing ever since.

Cardgains’ managing director Penny Shaw commented as the last walker was safely back: “It has been a fantastic day, the weather was kinder than had been anticipated as the rain cleared up

And sales agent Ian Bradley, who had been bracing himself for the

Skylight Media’s Simon Pryce commented: “I felt wonderfully connected to the industry and to London, exploring parks I’ve not been to before.”

And the last word goes to Cardgains’ chairman and House of Cards’ co-owner Miles Robinson, who brought the annual charity event down south for only the second time since it started in 1998.

“It was a smorgasbord of sightseeing around London,” Miles told PG: “I’ve been humbled by the support that we’ve had which has been totally amazing and we’ve all had a fabulously wonderful day.”

These last few weeks I have been without a car so have been using our company van after the drivers have delivered the newspapers. One of my drivers is a massive country music fan and I have found myself leaving the radio tuned into Absolute Country, his go to station. Beetling around in the van I feel like I am a moving billboard for the stores, so achieving two jobs at once!

Country music has always been known for its storytelling… the wife has left, the dog has died, you have gambled all your money and all of this drama is wrapped neatly up in a four-minute song. Country music has this way of amplifying everything!

These last few weeks has felt like my life is a country song. While thankfully none of the aforementioned has happened to me, it does feels like every turn is a challenge and every problem has a story.