In December 2017, my partner and I travelled to Thailand to begin a month of exploring the wonderful country. We booked a full day with Elephant Nature Park and were so impressed with the work they have undertaken, and the commitment they have made to helping these beautiful animals.

There are still so many Elephants used for tourism and logging in Thailand (and other countries) who suffer at the hands of humans. During our visit we saw elephants who had been blinded, lost limbs and struggled psychologically from the interactions and abuse they'd been subjected to previous to arriving at the park.

I would like to raise money to donate to the Save Elephant Foundation to not only allow them to continue to help the 70+ Elephants that are currently at ENP, but to enable them to find and help other animals who are still being abused in the logging and tourism industry, or have suffered horrific injuries from landmines and other man-made weapons. The elephants are usually bought by the park (often for high prices) from the tourism and logging industry, and will require expensive medical treatment and ongoing care until their last days.

To raise this money, I'm running a marathon in May 2018. I will also be setting myself various challenges during my training period, and trying for places on events throughout 2018. In February, I am taking part in a virtual running event to run 100 miles throughout the month. UPDATE - I've just secured a space on the Big Half in London on March 4th 13.1 miles.

Those who work there commit their lives to these animals, and genuinely love and care for every elephant (and other creatures!) that reside at Elephant Nature Park. There is a huge emphasis laid on respecting the animals, with absolutely no riding or physical contact over a gentle stroke. Everything is 100% on the animals terms, and with their wellbeing always coming first.

I have never been so moved by the story and work of an organisation as I was by this one. If you travel to Thailand, please go and see this incredible place for yourself, or another of the Save Elephant Foundation's projects.. No animal should suffer, and I feel that having seen some of the consequences of the abuse outlined above, I now need to try and help.

Please visit www.elephantnaturepark.org or www.saveelephant.org for more information.