I have worked for Shared Interest Society for over 9 years and have taken part in several fundraising cycle rides for the Foundation. This year I am leaving the bike behind and pulling on my trainers to run the Great North Run.

I am taking the baton from Chris who succesfully swam a mile in lake Windermere in June. We hope to finish off our Triathlon of challenges with a cycle ride later in the year.

I am running this half marathon in support of the work being done by Shared Interest Foundation. From 2008 to 2011, they ran a Big Lottery Funded project which supported 50 handcraft producing businesses in Rwanda, helping the majority of them to double their incomes and creating over 100 new jobs. This was vital support, working with many women who were profoundly affected by the Rwandan Genocide, 20 years ago in 1994. (You can see a video about that project in the gallery, below)

Now that the project has ended, they don't want to stop their support. This year especially, they want to help more people in Rwanda to work their way out of poverty. We're also providing help in Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Knowing what they could achieve with your support, we are going the extra mile. Please show your support for us and our work, by sponsoring whatever you can. Thanks!

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In addition to the Triathlon, we'll be carrying out other fundraising activities during the year, and we'll add the amounts raised to the total here as 'offline donations' as we go along.