2020 to current date has been probably, no definitely the most challenging time in my life both professionally and personally. COVID hit us all like a sledge hammer (it still does in many ways), me and the amazing people at Wessex Care and the outside professionals owe so very much to the Salisbury Hospice for their unwavering support. Wessex Care was asked to run a Discharge Support Unit to support the local acute trusts with patients who were either recovering and not requiring acute care from COVID or those that required specialist end of life care due to COVID taking hold. This was a highly emotional task for us as a team, one that will stay with me for a life time. Holding peoples hands as they past, comforting them when their loved ones could not, rushing from room to room trying to ensure everybody had what they needed, endless PPE, endless heat and thirst, comforting one another when it became too much, laughing because we didn't know what else to do, tiktoks, bakery deliveries from fabulous bakers, scrubs, sore skin, crying in the cleaning closet, endless showers, dry hair, facetime, dry and cracked hands, pizza deliveries, sore feet and tired eyes. It was a hell of a challenge! Outside of the Discharge Support Unit the other wonderful teams at Wessex Care continued to try everything in their power to prevent the virus coming into their homes but the inevitable happened and again they fought the hardest battles both physically and mentally to protect the people they care so very much about. I know so many of us will have scars from our experiences for the rest of our life's, feeling like we could have done more yet knowing we truly couldn't, every body gave it their all and for so very long. Salisbury Hospice offered us as a team together and individually support throughout including counselling. They were on call 24/7 and could not have done anymore for us, despite them also having to cope with the demands and upset COVID bought. I will forever feel protective and indebted to the hospice for their care and attention. 

Following on from the trauma of COVID and other personal challenges I was fortunate enough to take a break from the world in January of this year and found my love, solace and place of calm walking and hiking in the Scottish Mountains with my fluffy labradoodle Charlie. Scotland helped heal some of my personal wounds and for that I will forever be grateful to them and my second home.

I am taking on a challenge of a life time and trekking Mont Blanc starting September 7th 2022 for Salisbury Hospice Charity. I will be trekking across three countries in three days as I circle the highest peak in Western Europe. This challenge is physically demanding and will test my stamina and determination.

Whilst this is directly for Salisbury Hospice I want to end by saying hospices throughout the country do the most incredible work within their own facilities and within the local communities supporting people, families and friends at the very worst of times to find the strength and resilience to say goodbye peacefully. 

Ill sign off now by simply hoping to finish the trek successfully and on return to enjoy a 'cold glass of something sitting in a nice pub garden with the sun shining having a giggle and eating too many dry roasted peanuts' thinking of those we have lost yet drawn so much inspiration from to keep going, to keep achieving and to keep smiling xxx