I’m doing an iron-distance triathlon on 19 June (swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles, run 26.2 miles). Never before and perhaps never again! I’ve wanted to do this for quite a while now, so there’s no charity hard sell. If you would like to help me celebrate the occasion in this way you can:

• donate to your local food bank or a local mental health charity 
• if you’d like a quick and easy way to donate to a small charity that is making a big difference where it’s needed, I’ve set up this page for Community Food and Friendship Blyth. Although we moved away from Blyth in 1991, it’s always felt like home. Every time I hear about what Community Food and Friendship are doing, how they stepped up during the pandemic and continue to do so now that living isn’t getting any easier for folks, I am stopped in my tracks at the energy and generosity of their volunteers. Any donations will be put to great use.
• if your actual purse or your emotional “bank account” is not in a position to give right now,  please, please take some time to donate back to yourself. Do something for yourself that you’d been putting further down the list at the expense of caring for others, or that you are too daunted / “too busy” / too scared of failure to try. If I’ve learned anything doing all this training it’s to laugh at myself, face (potential and real) failure head-on, and the art of being prepared to be surprised by what happens when you attempt impossible things.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.