So where to begin....I wanted to mark the last year of my 30’s with something memorable...cue the creation of 39 miles for 39 years fundraising idea. 

39 miles throughout my birthday month (May)

Some family and friends will be able to remember right back to the dark time when I needed to make use of Crossroads amazing services and some won’t, so I’ll recap below.

Back in August 2009, I returned to the island with my 10 month old son after my marriage had ended. Initially we lived with my mum in her 2 bed apartment, whilst we got ourselves back on our feet. I decided whilst E was so young that I didn’t want to go back into teaching so started working for Crossroads in their charity shop and helped start their Dress Agency. I first came across Crossroads when I worked for their Young Carers Project during holidays whilst at university. It was then that the seed started to grow but I never realised it would grow so much more through my own personal experience.

In April 2010 I started getting unexplained pain that would floor me both physically and mentally. Over time, an 8 week stay in hospital and regular treatments  at Walton in Liverpool, I had to give up work. With no real answers from the medics I trialled many a strong medication and treatment for this “unknown illness” to no avail. This went on for years.  During this time my son attended Crossroads Nursery as a young carer. 

I can’t begin to explain what an amazing place it is. My son, who often went to bed with mummy in the house and then waking up in the morning to Moomin or Papa or his uncle there as mummy had gone into hospital, just flourished. In a time where there was so much uncertainty and worry for his little mind, where at 3 he was often having to make cereal for dinner because mummy needed to lie down, where he spent a huge amount of time with family (for that I am eternally grateful!!) but not with mummy; he was still able to flourish. 

The staff at the nursery nurtured him, supported him, taught him many things that his mummy should have, loved him and helped grow him into an amazing human being that he is today. They did all this with an extra understanding of what living as a young carer to a single mummy entailed. 

Thankfully those years are behind me, hopefully forever! But I will always be grateful to the time Crossroads were able to invest into our little family. 

I am now well enough to work, enjoy life and most recently RUN! I have never been a runner!! And never thought I would be! I started C25K in lockdown 1 and graduated on 5th July last year. I’m still not able to run miles and am very slow (but slow motion is better than no motion!) but I wanted a challenge to see out my last year before 40!

 We are just 1 family in 1000’s that Crossroads have and do support. Such a vital service, yet they have to rely so much on fundraising in order to meet the needs of all their clients. 

It’s not just the nursery (which caters for young carers and children with special needs); they support young carers; offer respite; support children with special needs in homes, play schools and schools; support carers; support clients with illness or elderly; support young adults with special needs including supporting them in the workplace; run Crossroads Manx Workshop to support disabled people in employment and much more....No matter their age, disability or illness. 

We all know COVID has hit hard this past year especially charities like Crossroads. It needs your help to support vulnerable carers throughout this pandemic and beyond. 

Please help me raise £390, £10 for every year I’ve been alive. Just a small drop in the ocean but hoping for the ripple effect that one drop can make!