In my mid-thirties I was struck down with CFS/ME, and have been struggling to live with it ever since.  A few years ago, I was housebound, barely even able to read as I was too weak to
hold up a book.  My specialist now admits that he thought that I would never recover.

Now I’m working 35 hours a week.

This would not have come about without the help and support of the charity I now work for; The Thistle Foundation. They took a chance on me and allowed me to build up my hours slowly, from 30 minutes a week to the current 35 hours. How many employers do you know who would be willing to do that?

They don’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk, and their services are devoted to helping people all over Edinburgh and the Lothians, with the struggles they face with long-term health conditions.  All their services are free, and they offer a number of different ways of helping, from one-to-one advice sessions, to Lifestyle Management courses, Nutrition groups, a safe space for Veterans to make friends and relax, and
interactions with local schools to help improve health and wellbeing at all ages.

One of the most popular services they offer is their Tai Chi classes.  Several of these are run by one of our Volunteers, Margaret, who is an extraordinary person.  We are now organising our biggest fundraising event of the year based around her speciality -

Chi in the Park!

This is going to be a mass Tai Chi practice in Princes Street Gardens on Wednesday 28^th June, between 11am and 1pm.

We are working hard to drum up support, and fundraise.  We need to raise as much money as possible, so that the services we offer continue to be available to people in need, and continue to be free.

I’m asking people to sponsor me for Chi in the Park.  Not to do the 2 hours of Tai Chi – my body isn’t up to that level of exercise yet.  But because I’m going to be working hard all day to help run this event. 
For someone who could barely walk downstairs a few years ago, this is
going to be a massive feat of endurance for me.  It’s going to take determination, and everything I’ve got to be able to manage this.

Please, please sponsor me.  I owe the Thistle a great deal, and I want to give back to them.

For those of you based in the centre of Edinburgh, please come along on the day during your lunch break and swell the numbers, and maybe join in!