Update:

I'm delighted to share that I will be running the London marathon in 2026 for Alzheimer's Research UK (after I deferred my marathon challenge from last year). As many of you know from my previous fundraising challenges, ARUK is a charity very close to my heart and I know the impact of dementia is something many of you can relate to 🧡

I'd like to say I'm excited about this challenge but the truth is, I'm nervous and it fills me with dread! Nevertheless, I am training hard, I've been running since June (where I could barely run a couple of miles) and I've gradually been increasing the number of runs and distance. My last long run which I did on Sunday really helped to give me some confidence as I was able to achieve 9 miles 🏃

The next real milestone for me will be the 10 mile point which I've only ever achieved once before and then I'll will be looking ahead to my half marathon on 12th October (Great Eastern Run), again if I'm able to complete this it will be a real confidence booster as I head into a critical part of my training ahead of the marathon on 26th April.

I would really appreciate your encouragement and support over the next few months as this is going to be an incredibly tough challenge for me, far greater than Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp!

If you find yourself scratching around for something to do on Sunday 12th October then please come along to Peterborough and support me as I tackle my first Half Marathon! 😁

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Update:

I originally hoped to take part in the 2025 Marathon but the challenges of having a new born severely impacted my training due to lack of sleep and time. I took the difficult decision to defer my marathon until 2026 and I am now all signed up, ready to go and looking forward to the challenge!

A huge thank you for the support and also to Carlton Packaging for their sponsorship and support.

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Back in 2023 I took on a huge challenge by trekking all the way to Everest Base Camp. This challenge was to support Alzheimer's Research UK, a charity that has become close to my heart after my Nan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia, and other family members of mine and my partner have also suffered with dementia. Since supporting ARUK I have spoken to and met so many people who are affected by dementia in some way.

My EBC challenge raised over £10,000 for ARUK which was just amazing! In fact since 2016 by taking part in several fundraising events I have raised over £17,000 for various charities.

For 2025 I have decided that I wanted to take on another big challenge, one that will really push me out of my comfort zone, which is where the idea of a marathon came from. I'm hugely grateful that I was able to secure a place at the Paris Marathon thanks to help from ARUK! For this challenge I have set myself a very ambitious target of £3,000 which I hope I can achieve with your incredible support!

This is without a doubt going to be my toughest challenge to date as anyone training for a marathon will testify, particularly those of us who start our training from scratch. It’s going to require sacrifice and dedication on a whole new level and not just for the event itself, but for all the months of training and preparation beforehand.

I’m also delighted to announce Carlton Packaging as a sponsor for my upcoming marathon challenge. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at Carlton a for supporting me and my vision 🤝

Carlton are not only passionate about packaging, but also about helping great causes, so it makes me super proud that they share my passion for supporting ARUK and recognise the importance of dementia research in helping to find a cure 🧡

ARUK is one our charity partners at The Perfume Shop, but it is also a charity that is very much close to my heart, as like so many other people my family has been impacted by dementia. It is estimated if nothing changes, one in two people in the UK will be directly affected by dementia. They will either care for someone with the condition, develop it themselves, or both.

Thank you for reading my story.