**Update - written Thursday 7th April 2022**

Thank you to all those who helped me to reach and greatly exceed my aim to raise £500 in 5 days. The 5 days are now over, but if you are still keen to donate, don't let this hold you back. I would be absolutely thrilled if I could double up and raise £1000 for Headway by marathon day - this Sunday.

Thanks and thanks and thanks again!
JK

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On April 10th I’m running the Brighton Marathon (my first marathon!!) and I'm raising money for Headway East London.

My brilliant friend Iona Wills found out about Headway East London, a local charity supporting people affected by brain injury, after she was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour in 2019. Her enthusiasm about the organisation's work, and  particularly their Submit to Love Studio, which is home to a group of artists living with brain injury, has spread to me.

Iona and I became close friends at the University of Manchester, where we ran the Manchester Art Society together. Now both living in London, Iona continues her vocation as a maker (sewing oilskin sou'westers, weaving baskets, cutting trouser patterns, running life drawing classes in her living room...) and I'm a curator. 

Headway East London facilitates a huge range of activities and services to support its community, and these go beyond what the UK government recognises as essential provision. The name of Headway's art studio Submit to Love, which welcomes more than 40 artists each week, sums up the organisation’s ethos.

When I was talking to Iona about what made her so excited about Headway's work, she said that 'giving people with brain injury a place to creatively experiment and be in a community of other people with brain injury felt so precious and liberating.’

This was echoed in my conversations with artists Errol Drysdale whose drawing Be A Star is on my marathon vest; Sam Jevon (self-described 'Queen of Wonky' - see her intricate pen drawing 'A Handful', 2022, in the gallery), and collagist Dave who described how cutting and sticking birds for a new work in the Submit to Love studio brought him peace.

Following covid, Headway East London and the Submit to Love studio are in particular need of donations to continue their work. Iona and I are really excited to fundraise for studio materials. This week we aim to raise £500... £100 per day for the next 5 days!

Many thanks for your generosity and support.

Jessie and Iona

You can see the Submit to Love artists' work here: https://www.submittolovestudios.org/artists

or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/submittolovestudios/

And you can find out more about Headway East London here: https://headwayeastlondon.org/

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