I have fond memories of spending my childhood with my father. He was a man of strong character & charisma, as he valiantly battled through life with illnesses and disability. My father had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - A chronic illness involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, whose symptoms are neurological.

I vividly recall sitting on my father's lap and eating ice cream, whilst he was sat in a wheelchair often in pain. I would say hello to him as soon as I walked in through the door and run to show him my new clothes/trainers. I remember remaining ever so silent as I watched him sleep on the sofa. This was to sadly end and shatter my life five days after I turned 12; my father passed away as I sat beside his hospital bed.

For a child not to have their fathers presence can be drastic. It can change their life for the worst and can have a significant impact. This broke me.

Over the years, it made me stronger and allowed me to strive to achieve. It was only in 2017 that I could understand the real impact which Multiple Sclerosis had on my father's life as I started to understand it more. He would suffer silently, be wheelchair bound after suffering two strokes and be impacted daily with neurological symptoms.

Wolverhampton MS Therapy Centre is a fantastic centre at the heart of the community, which helps individuals like my father who suffer with MS to be able to live life to their full potential. The centre is run by volunteers and allows people with different abilities to receive so much support.

As the centre is non-profit making, it is dependent on fundraising to be able to cater and support those who appreciate its services. So rather than going for a national charity, I wanted to support somewhere close to home where I have seen the brilliant work that they do.