I've never been much of a runner. The thought of running anything longer than the distance from my room to the fridge used to give me heart palpitations (I may be exaggerating a tad but you get the gist). Since last year, I have found a real passion for running and have made it a solid part of my routine. I set myself a goal to run further than I thought I ever could, and so last year I signed up to the Brighton Half-Marathon. Although this was cancelled due to COVID-19, my goal did not change and the event is still going ahead in October 2021. I do love a fundraiser, and so I have chosen to run for an organisation that I feel can dramatically change the lives of the people it supports.

RISE help over 2,000 women, children and young people every year. They provide crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic abuse and keep individuals safe from harm. Since March 2020, helpline calls to Rise have tripled and reports of domestic abuse have increased rapidly. This sudden increase of domestic abuse and the fact that individuals are not able to feel safe in their own homes is a terrifying prospect - the injustice of this is what has motivated me to run and fundraise for domestic abuse services.

I know that times are hard and that we are all still dealing with the difficulties of this surreal year, but if you can spare anything at all I will make sure I blast through that finishing line like Mo Farah on a caffeine high.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you are interested in Rise and their services, here is the link to their website: Freedom from domestic abuse | RISE (riseuk.org.uk)