On 7th June 25 I am taking part in the Maverick 'Peaks Merlin' 55km Ultra Trail Race in the Peak District in memory of my wonderful grandma Sheila.

She lived for many of her later years with Dementia and we lost her on 17th Feb 25.

She showed extreme courage in facing this illness and, despite regular confusion and fear, never lost the gentleness of her soul and still found a way to smile. If I ever suffer with this Illness, I hope to face it with the same bravery that she showed daily.

This 55km Ultra Marathon will be a huge physical and mental challenge. I have only run this distance once before and it nearly broke me. I will be aiming to complete the run within 8 hours, which will be a significant personal best record. I will also be running this race solo unlike last time when I ran in a supportive group. I’m sure this alone will add more layers of mental challenge as my body begins to really hurt.

I will be thinking of Grandma with every step and drawing strength from her courage. 💙

I would be very grateful to all who can spare a donation towards this wonderful charity who aim to find a cure. Thank you. xx

From Alzheimer’s Research UK:

Every 3 minutes dementia steals a happily ever after. Research is our only chance of changing the ending for people affected by dementia.

We are the UK's leading dementia research charity. We exist for a cure.

Your donation helps our scientists and researchers find new ways to diagnose dementia, develop new treatments and find a cure for dementia.

Watch and share our new film: https://bit.ly/ARUKForACure