A band of ‘Merry Marchers’ will today embark on the first leg of a three-day pilgrimage to a brewery in memory of a friend who died from a brain tumour. 

Dave Merry was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM) in April 2022. He died just three months later in July, aged 56. 

His childhood best friend Gary Nicholson, who first met Dave at primary school more than 45 years ago, said: “We lost one of life’s genuine good guys.”  

In honour of the many milestone moments they shared and to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research, Gary will today set out on a 40-mile trek to the home of Dave’s favourite tipple. He starts in Chepstow and will finish at Westons Cider Mill in Much Marcle, with dozens of people expected to join him. 

“Everything happened so quickly with Dave. What he went through was truly horrible for him and his family. He didn’t stand a chance against his cancer. Anything that we can do to help other people from losing their loved ones is very much worth the long hike,” Gary said. 

He added: “When we found out about his diagnosis, we had a get-together at the pub and promised to make the most of the time he had left. This feels like a fitting tribute to remember Dave, it’s what he would want.” 

To support Gary’s fundraising, please donate via his JustGiving page by clicking here. 

Related reading:

• Fundraise your way
• Find your next walking or trekking challenge 

If you found this story interesting or helpful, sign up to our weekly e-news and keep up to date with all the latest from Brain Tumour Research.