After years of living with asthma I was last year diagnosed with COPD (I've never smoked so this was a bit of a shock!)

I decided that I needed to take my health into my own hands and I started running with the aim of running the Great North Run in September 2025. I did this and managed to do this in under 3 hours - not bad considering I was massively overweight and couldn't run 100 meters to begin with!

This year I have continued with my running and have entered in for the Blaydon Race, the Gateshead 10k and the Great North Run with the aim of beating my last year's time. I have now lost 5 stone and have been told that I was misdiagnosed with COPD and because of my weight loss and fitness increasing my asthma is so much more under control!

I have been fortunate enough to be able to get a place through the GNR ballots which means I have chosen to run to raise money for scholarships at Side By Side Arts.

I founded Side By Side Arts in 2018 as a community interest company with the aim of bringing music opportunities to people who wouldn't have the chance to participate. We run several community groups, offer music lessons and work with several schools across the region to help deliver this aim.

I would like to provide more opportunities in music by opening up more scholarship opportunities and hope that by running this will be great way to raise awareness and raise much needed funds to offer more children a scholarship to access music.