Small charities are one of the many groups really struggling as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and The Encephalitis Society is no exception. Encephalitis affects 500,000 people globally each year, yet 8 out of 10 people do not know what encephalitis is, so there is an urgent need to spread the word and understanding of this illness.

In simple terms, encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. It is caused either by an infection invading the brain or through the immune system attacking the brain in error.

As many know, Mols lost her brother Charlie to the illness in October 2017, so it is a cause that is especially close to our hearts and this challenge is a way to remember our Charlie #22notout

The 10 of us - Molly Watson, Letty Houldsworth, Daisy Waggett, Sasha Ansell, Alice Garvey, Ella Davies, Georgie Jack, Harriet Worthington, Georgie Bullock and Eme Evans - are unable to visit each other owing to the current lockdown restrictions. SO, we thought we’d attempt the next best thing: attempting to cover the furthest distance separating us - from Teignmouth, Devon, to Forres, Scotland AND BACK!

Between Monday 25th May and Sunday 31st May, we’ll be running/cycling/swimming/hopping/walking/dabbing two thousand (AND THREE!!) kilometres between us, in red of course!

For those who know us well, you'll know you’re more likely to find us running for a bottle of red than running in red, and more likely to find us settled on a seat in a beer garden, rather than on a saddle of a bike. So with the money you’re saving by being locked in doors, please give as generously as you can to this fantastic cause. Just the small price of a pint (especially a London pint) can make such a difference.

We’ll be documenting our progress on @rocket_man_edinburgh on Instagram so please give us a follow. You can also track our virtual route up North on this map here: https://www.myvirtualmission.com/missions/50810/the-rocketman-challenge?fbclid=IwAR2ylZWC0sFpWKKmCb3EpGBRq-BdeXndci2VvRJfR8OI0bgy-qQmCGe5u1A 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.