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Jodie HalfordEssex
The son of Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke has set out on a 140km (87 mile) fundraising walk for Alzheimer’s research taking in “so many iconic locations” from his mother’s life and career.
The 66-year-old actress, who also starred in Emmerdale and Broadchurch, was diagnosed with dementia in 2021.
Charlie Quirke, 31, began his challenge just before 08:00 GMT at Victory Hall in Chigwell, the suburban Essex-London border town where the BBC sitcom was set.
His mother’s friends Linda Robson – who starred in the sitcom alongside her – and actor Ray Winstone waved him off.
He was also sent good luck messages from actresses Ruth Wilson and Olivia Colman, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and former Hammer Carlton Cole.
Over the course of Mr Quirke’s five-day walk, he will head to Islington in north London, where his mum was born, and to the headquarters of her theatre school in Buckinghamshire.
“My mum’s career has been so iconic and so many places have formed her life – it’s going to be a really emotional, beautiful journey,” her son said.
“It’s moments from her career and her personal life – Islington, where she grew up with Linda, to Windsor where mum got her MBE, past many Pauline Quirke Academies locations.”
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Robson said she had known her co-star’s son “since he was in the womb” and said she thought dementia was “the worst thing ever”.
Ahead of his trek, Mr Quirke said: “Dementia’s going to affect one in two people in this country, whether they get diagnosed themselves or caring for someone with it.
“The research is really paramount so every penny I raise goes straight towards research to help us find a cure.”
Courtesy of Quirke family for Alzheimer’s Research UKThe challenge will see him walk from Chigwell to the home ground of the family’s favourite football club, West Ham, before he heads to Surrey and Berkshire.
He will stop at the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts in High Wycombe, before finishing at the family home in Buckinghamshire.
“I actually fractured my leg in August training for this,” he told BBC Essex’s Sonia Watson.
“The longest walk I’ve done in six months was an hour and a half and that was on Friday.
“I’ve got a great team behind me, and the donations and messages I’ve had will keep me going.”
According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, about one million people in the UK are living with dementia and this is projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.
