Thanks for visiting my sponsorship page!

At Christmas I signed myself up to take part in the 10km Great Ireland Run which takes place in Dublin's Phoenix Park on 18th April 2010.

I wanted to work towards something positive and give myself a goal I could aim for, even though the challenge is proving tougher than I could have imagined! I have never been a runner, but have surprised myself how enjoyable it is and how quick it is to progress.

On Sunday 15th November 2009 we lost our beloved dog Freddy. Everyone thinks their dog is 'one in a million', but Freddy really was. From as young as I could remember I had been desperate for a dog, my whole life was about getting a dog, every Christmas list to Santa just said 'Dog'. I even once told my mum 'It's a shame you're not blind because then we could have a dog...'

Then, when I was 10, we finally rescued Freddy from the Margaret Green Rescue in Dorset, a little dog's home out in the countryside who specialise in animal care for all types of animals: dogs and cats, horses, goats, farm animals, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, pot-bellied pigs...!

We had 12 fantastic years with Freddy, full of kite chasing, chocolate cake stealing and grumbling if we sat on his favourite armchair. He had a sixth sense when something was wrong, his black nose would poke around the door to check all was well. He also seemed to have sixth sense any time a packet of biscuits was opened anywhere in the house. We never manged to train him, but he did understand one important word; 'chocolate'. Freddy was my best friend and he has left an unfillable hole in my life. I would like to say thank you to him for being there :-)

Please give generously to this charity; it costs a ridiculous amount to run a dog's home, if not for all the vet's bills but for the general looking after of the dogs, feeding, heating, etc.  I feel I owe them a lot for giving up such an amazing companion, well two amazing companions as we recently took on Bella!

And by sponsoring I'd feel like people actually believe I can do it! I'm *hoping* to raise £200, any more would be really amazing.

Even if you aren't an 'animaly' person, five pounds won't hurt. There are so many stray dogs in Britain as sadly we live in a society where often dogs are seen as 'objects'. There are so many dogs, waiting in cold kennels, unsure of what exactly they did wrong. Raising money for a dog charity means they can offer one more place to one more dog who needs it. They can be looked after and made to feel wanted again. And they can be rehomed to people who are willing to take on another mad Whippet...

So please sponsor me, for Freddy's sake, because if you ever were lucky to know him, he really was the loyalest, gentlest, loveliest dog imaginable.

Thank you :-)