Health charity PSPA has cut ties with the author of The Salt Path after she was accused of fabricating or giving misleading information about some elements of her best-selling book.
The allegations, published in The Observer, called into question details in the memoir written by Raynor Winn about her husband’s health, as well as the couple’s financial situation.
In the book, Moth has a debilitating illness, corticobasal degeneration [CBD], a rare neurological condition in the same family as Parkinson's disease.
The life expectancy for sufferers after diagnosis is around six to eight years, according to the NHS. However, Moth has reportedly been living with the condition for 18 years.
PSPA is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting all those affected by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration.
In a statement on its website, the PSPA said it was “shocked and disappointed to learn of the allegations made about Raynor and Moth Winn.”
Meanwhile, Raynor Winn described the Observer’s article has “highly misleading” and said the couple are taking legal advice, adding the book was “the true story of our journey”.
In The Salt Path, Raynor Winn writes that she and her husband lost their home after investing a “substantial sum” into a friend’s business that ultimately failed. They then embarked on a long-distance hike across the southwest of England with only a few pennies in their pockets.
The memoir has spawned a movie adaptation, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, which was released in the UK in May.
But the Observer reported that Mrs Winn was the subject of a reported criminal investigation but not charged after being accused of stealing thousands of pounds from her employer.
It is claimed that the couple ultimately failed to repay a loan taken out by a relative to repay the stolen money and lost their home.
The full PSPA statement read: “We know the article has taken everyone by surprise and has made people affected by Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) feel angry, let down and eager for clarity.
“Raynor and Moth worked with many individuals and organisations since their first book was published, including PSPA.
“We received the family’s need for support, and desire to raise awareness of PSP & CBD in good faith.
“Whilst we are thankful for the awareness opportunities their story has provided; too many questions currently remain unanswered. Therefore, we have made the decision to terminate our relationship with the family.
“In the meantime, we want to reassure supporters that any fundraising Raynor and Moth conducted for PSPA was via official platforms such as JustGiving and monies raised have been received in full by the charity.”
