Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Om March the 11th I will be taking part in the Bath Half to raise money for Mentoring plus, a Bath based charity that works with young people at risk in the Bath and North East Somerset area by matching them with a mentor and providing some other opportunities that may not otherwise experience. I passionately believe in this project and the work that they do with our young people locally.

I started running when i was 12 inspired i recall by fellow country woman Mary Peters! For a short time, I trained on the track at Short Bros, in Sydenham, Belfast and trully believed i could be Mary! Since then, I have always run, inconsistently and never with any real goal in mind other than enjoying being out and getting that buzz running gave me, particulary by the sea at home in NI.

Last December,  I was still fit from three weeks in Nepal and beginning to feel a bit rudderless without a goal on the horizon. One afternoon at work, i lined up 6 chocolate santas, 3 chocolate snowmen, 3 chocolate reindeers, took thier foil wrapping off and anihilated them one by one. I had bought these for my team and yes, they know. Through the chocolate-induced nausea, guilt and lethargy, i remembered a poster i had seen at Mentoring Plus earlier that week for the Bath Half in March and thought enough, I am going to do that thing!

SO this will be my first ever formal running event and it is a challenge but i can genuinely say that every cold, dark evening after work when putting my shoes on to get out feels a bit tough and the next epiosode of The Killing seems more appealing, or even the hoovering, or one of those jobs i've been putting off for years,  i remind myself why i am doing it and out i go! So far, so good! Running teaches you alot about yourself. Currently- thanks to my lovely family in Spain's gift of a little pink ishuffle- it is teaching me what a capacity i have to be motivated by some totally unexpected and bizarre choices of music. Ms.Skinner, thank you - this week it is indeed the theme from Ghostbusters!

Here's an idea of some of the things my sponsorship will help towards-

£5 will buy several packets of seeds for the gardening group, £20 will buy ingredients for cook group, £75 will pay for an arts workshop for 10 young people, £150 will pay for an activity session for young people such as quad biking, £600 will pay for refreshments for holiday activities for the year. these are just some examples though and if you check out www.mentoringplus.net you will get an idea of the fuller context and how your much appreciated sponsorship can help this valuable resource to continue to do what it does.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now. Thanks for your support - Jackie.