Hi there! As many of you will know, cats are very important to me. Growing up, we had three lovely cats who, each in their own little way, greatly enriched our family life and gave us so many happy memories. The last of our three cats to sadly depart from us was Carmen, a beautiful little tortoiseshell who lived to an amazing age of 21 years old. After Carmen died, I found myself at a bit of a loose end; I couldn't remember a time when there was not a cat in my life to care for. Then, on a trip to London last year, I came across a stand for Cats Protection, looking for monthly sponsors. So I signed up. The money I donate each month is a tiny amount, but I know it goes towards keeping cats and kittens in the Dundonald branch safe, warm, healthy, fed and watered, and it made me so happy knowing that, in a way, I was still caring for my most favourite animal. Since becoming a sponsor, my parents have adopted two brother cats from the centre, Milo and Felix, and seeing how well these little guys were cared for by Cats Protection, when they had nowhere else to go, has really highlighted the great work that this charity does. So, when the chance to raise even more money for them presented itself to me - as well as the chance to take on an epic challenge - I just knew I wanted to be a part of it!

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity. Our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats Protection has simple and clear objectives to help cats:Homing - Finding good homes for cats in needNeutering - Supporting and encouraging the neutering of catsInformation - Improving people’s understanding of cats and their careAchieving this vision is only made possible due to kind cat lovers who support our work. Visit www.cats.org.uk for more information.