This January, the RED community challenged themselves to get active every day. Whether running, swimming, cycling or choosing a favourite fitness activity, REDers went the extra mile to support themselves and others. I started on New Years Day, by running Clitheroe Castle parkrun, and kept going. 

Running every day in January and being a part of the RED Community private Facebook group where we supported each other helped save me. I was suffering from grief, anxiety, panic attacks and post traumatic stress during the fight for my Mother's life at hospital in LA and after she passed away. Thankfully we got her home safely on hospice care, and she was surrounded by her family and friends whilst she was at home, where we held her hand, talked to her, sang and prayed for her before she went to heaven.  

Then the pandemic hit, and people all over the world were losing their loved ones without having the opportunity to be at their side. This caused me much distress, especially because my Mother was on a ventilator at hospital after suffering a stroke, and every day I had to relive painful memories of this on top of the news where thousands of people were dying every day. So on 1st of April, I started running every day as part of my daily exercise during lockdown with my dog, Alfie. When we got to 50 parkruns in 50 days, I realised we had reached a milestone, and I wanted to do something positive with all of the effort I was making, so I set up a JustGiving page for the charity, Shelter so that I could help the homeless and those facing homelessness during the pandemic. It's my work's chose charity, and I had a charity place at Great Manchester Run which was cancelled along with all other races. I decided to run 100 parkruns in 100 days, with the aim to raise £100 and so far I have raised £750 thanks to help from family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, clients and candidates and people that have heard my parkrun UK podcast, or read about it in the news. 

parkrunning every day has been the most wonderful thing I have achieved in my 7 years of running. I am going to keep running every day for my own mental heath, and to raise awareness of the charity MIND and the RED Community. I ran 50 miles in a week for MIND by taking part in the Montane Lakeland 50 virtual challenge, London (virtual) Marathon on 4th of October, and I'm running Manchester (virtual) Marathon on 28th of October for my birthday. I hope to support MIND by raising awareness and also fundraising as they have made an urgent plea, especially with all the races being cancelled this year as they were counting on that fundraising. 

Our fitness and fundraising efforts combined with your generosity will help continue MIND's life-changing work, ensuring no-one has to face a mental health problem alone. Thank you.