A Cheltenham man has completed the legendary Camino de Santiago, walking nearly 900 kilometres as part of an emotional fundraising mission in memory of his late wife.
Matt Miles set out on the epic pilgrimage for his Miles for Katy campaign, which has already raised more than £9,000 for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice. His £10,481 target — chosen to honour Katy’s police collar number, 1481 — is now firmly in sight thanks to generous supporters moved by the couple’s story.
Katy, a former Detective Sergeant with Gloucestershire Constabulary, was first diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and received care at Leckhampton Court at the end of her life. Matt said the hospice became a lifeline for their family.
“Katy spent her final three weeks at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, and I lived there with her, along with her sister Lucy,” he said. “We couldn’t have asked for more support. Everyone made an impossibly difficult time bearable.”
Although Matt walked the route alone, Katy was firmly with him in spirit.
He added: “She always wanted to do the Camino. There’s a tradition halfway to leave something from home. I took a pair of her earrings and left one there — so a part of her is on the trail.”
The trek took him across mountains, forests and coastal paths, with moments of exhaustion lifted by the kindness of others.
“One day it rained heavily and I’d booked the wrong accommodation,” he recalled. “I checked my fundraising page that night and saw a £500 donation. It completely turned my day around.”
Along the way he met fellow pilgrims — including one poignant encounter: “Halfway along I met someone who had also lost his wife last year. We ended up eating together. It was a powerful moment.”
Matt believes Katy would be “immensely proud” of his achievement.
“She’d have loved every minute — she talked to everyone,” he said. “She would have been chatting to people the whole way.”
Finishing the Camino is just one milestone in Matt’s year of challenges. Next up is the Big Dip cold-water event at Cheltenham Lido on 7 December, followed by the London Marathon in 2026.
“I’m not usually a fan of swimming,” he laughed. “So the Big Dip will definitely feel like a challenge!”