In 2018, following 30 years in the corporate world, I swapped my laptop for a notebook and a pink top when I joined a wonderful group of ladies providing activities to residents in a local nursing and dementia home, namely Rowan Lodge.

Later last year, I secured a ballot place to run in this years Virgin Money London Marathon on 28 April. If you know me well, you will know that this is my FAVOURITE day of the year, I love the adrenaline of the event and I admire each and every participant. I spend the whole day standing at mile 25.2, named Monaghan Motivation Station, supporting and cheering the first runner right through to the last, on their final mile of glory.

This year it's my turn! I'm going to be on the other side of the barrier, pushing myself to run one of the greatest events, ever held. I am so excited, nervous but most of all proud to be running this as the ballot winner for the best local running club, Chineham Park Running Club.

To combine both my passions, running and my role as an activities assistant, I would like to raise some money (if I can), for the lovely residents who remind me what life is about, they make me smile and feel loved and I hope that I do the same, in return.

Our residents have a real zest of life and although they are not all able to do everything they used to, many of them still take part in new activities, including getting me onto the Ice, for a wheelchair skate-off, a few weeks ago!

I would love to make more memories and have more extra special experiences with my lovely Rowan Lodge family and ask that you donate anything you can, to support me as I run around London on April 28.

In return for your generous support, I am going to be wearing a tutu with the name of peoples loved ones, past or present, so if you are kind enough to donate, please leave me a message with the name of a loved one, so I can wear their name on my tutu, with pride.

Thanks for reading xx