The health charity PSPA has announced that it is ending its relationship with The Salt Path author Raynor Winn, following allegations that she fabricated key parts of her best-selling 2018 memoir.
An investigation by The Observer has raised doubts about many aspects of the book and accused Winn of embezzling money from a former employer, not using her real name, and lying about the health of her husband and aspects that inspired her book.
In the book, it is claimed that Raynor and her husband, Moth Winn, undertook the 630-mile walk along the South West Coast Path after they lost their home following a failed business venture with a friend. The book also details the story of Moth’s illness, when he was diagnosed with a fatal neurological condition called corticobasal degeneration, also known as CBD.
However, scepticism has been raised about Moth’s condition, with neurologists stating that life expectancy for those diagnosed with the condition is six to eight years. Experts told The Observer that anyone living with the illness for more than 12 years would need around-the-clock care.
PSPA, which supports people affected by CBD and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), has worked with the couple but declared in a statement that they are “shocked and disappointed to learn of the allegations”.
The statement continued: “We know the article has taken everyone by surprise and has made people affected by CBD and 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.”
The Independent has contacted Raynor Winn’s representatives for comment.
It comes after a spokeswoman for Number 9 Films and Shadowplay Features, who produced the recent film version of The Salt Path, said in a statement published by Deadline: “There were no known claims against the book at the time of optioning it or producing and distributing the film.”
The film, released in the UK earlier this year, stars Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. The producers were reportedly only made aware of the allegations last week when The Observer contacted them.
They added that their movie was “a faithful adaptation of the book that we optioned” and that they “undertook all necessary due diligence before acquiring the book”.
The statement continued: “The allegations made in The Observer relate to the book and are a matter for the author Raynor Winn. We have passed any correspondence relating to the article to Raynor and her agent.”
The Observer investigation claims that Raynor and Moth Winn’s real names are Sally and Tim Walker, respectively. Raynor Winn was also accused of stealing £64,000 from a former employer in 2008, which she reportedly attempted to repay after taking out a loan from a relative.
Ultimately, the couple lost their home in a 2012 court case after they failed to repay the loan. Winn claims in the book that the couple had been homeless since 2013, but The Observer alleges that they have owned a house in France since 2007, although it is now uninhabitable.
In a statement given to The Independent, a spokesperson for Raynor Winn said: “Yesterday’s Observer article is highly misleading. We are taking legal advice and won’t be making any further comments at this time. The Salt Path lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives. This is the true story of our journey.”
The film version of The Salt Path was released in the UK in May 2025 and has been a modest success, earning more than £7m at the box office. The book, which documents the couple’s 630-mile walk from Somerset to Dorset, is described as a “life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world”.
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