I am running the London Marathon 2018 and I'll be raising for Wimbledon Guild.

Living and working in Wimbledon has shown me many of the fantastic things Wimbledon Guild do. I've been really inspired by this charity. So much so, I'm running 26.2 miles for them!

Their aim is to help local people of all ages lead a better life by tackling poverty, supporting ageing and encouraging mental well-being.

My first introduction to Wimbledon Guild was in September 2017. They helped me. I was in the early stages of dealing with my symptoms of depression. I'd actively stopped doing the things that didn't make me happy, and started doing more of the things that did. I'd read a Tweet from @wguild about a talk on bees. My grandfather had bees, and I love honey, so decided to go not knowing what to expect.

The bee talk at the Guild was so interesting, but the biggest and best thing I felt was feeling part of my local community. I was in a room full of local people (I was many generations younger, as pointed out by the lovely lady I was sitting next to!) It was fulfilling to chat about the little things you don't get to in busy modern day life; things like memories of your childhood, and to have a cup of tea and a biscuit whilst listening to somebody else's stories. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who went away from the talk on bees feeling happier.

Feeling like a part of my community has been a huge part of me feeling good about myself. Luckily running is another thing that helps improve my mental health, too!

Since finding out about the Wimbledon Guild last year, I’ve met many of the compassionate people who work for it, I’ve helped out at the 'Exercise After Stroke' class, been to the Home Food Cafe, and been a part of the 'Love Ball' party which raised awareness and funds for Wimbledon Guild.

I'm really excited to run my first marathon, and to do it for a very meaningful charity.

Thank you Wimbledon Guild for being there for me.

Flora