David Dawson on his rounds in Chalk Farm

QUEEN’S Crescent postman David Dawson is preparing for the walk of his life – to Tipperary.

The 39-year-old, who was a leukaemia patient as child, is used to an 11-mile daily round around Chalk Farm and Kentish Town, but next month he’ll be setting-off with family and friends by foot to Ireland.

The 405-mile mission is to raise funds for charity Momentum, which helps people with cancer, their families and the bereaved.

Mr Dawson said: “I just thought it was a time in my life and I thought I would do something absolutely nuts. I’d done a couple of 10k runs, and I thought I’d do a bike ride. But then people were saying to me you got to do something that’s really going to catch the eye of people.”

He added: “I thought no problem, I’m a postman in Camden for 20 years now, I do about 11 miles a day. I deliver all around Camden – Ferdinand Street, Denton – that’s my normal daily route.”

Mr Dawson was in the CNJ in 1990s when he was visited in the Royal Free by Arsenal players Remi Garde and Patrick Vieira

The big walk on April 4 ends in Tipperary, where Mr Dawson’s extended family is from. The trip should take 13 days if they stick to the 34 miles-a-day plan. Mr Dawson, who grew up in Maitland Park Villas, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia aged 15.

He spent a year-and-a-half in the Royal Free and the former St Dominic’s and St Aloysius pupil sat his GCSEs in the Pond Street hospital in 1995. While there, Mr Dawson was visited by Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira when the Arsenal team gave out presents on the ward. Mr Dawson, who went on to win the league for semi pro club Kentish Town FC, was part of the team that went on a memorable FA Cup run.

Mr Dawson is being joined in the challenge by his two sisters, brother and best friend

“We all wanted to do something for the families, the bereaved and also the children,” he said. “It’s going to be me, my two sisters, brother and my best mate. They’ve all jumped on board.”

More than £6,000 has been raised so far. Search David Dawson at Virgin Giving for details.