After 4 years of using my children as an excuse for delaying my return to sport (or indeed exercise of any kind), I decided I needed to set myself a clear goal. So on 6th April, I will be running 13.1 miles in aid of Baby Umbrella, a small local charity who has made a significant impact on me and my family over the last 4 years.

As many parents will attest to, bringing Covid babies into this world was a somewhat surreal and isolating experience. Whilst we were incredibly grateful for the virtual support from our family and friends, there really was no substitute for a bit of face-to-face, human contact to help you navigate the highs and lows of parenthood. Baby Umbrella provided us with a safe space to experience that: a community to not only meet other parents with similar experiences, but also to receive the emotional and physical care that is so disappointingly absent from our incredible but underfunded healthcare system.

From support with breastfeeding to diagnosis of tongue tie, treatment for mastitis and tips on baby sleep, Baby Umbrella has been by our side through some of the toughest moments of parenthood. Not only that but the charity’s incredible community has helped me bounce back from a really challenging period, having been faced with redundancy after my second maternity leave.

In October, I was honoured to be appointed as a Marketing Trustee and since then have seen first-hand how the empathy, professionalism and expertise of this community has the potential to make a real difference to its families, no matter what challenges they face.

For too many families, this support is not available. By raising the profile of Baby Umbrella and some much needed funds along the way, I'm determined to help change that. The money I raise will help this small but mighty charity to continue to provide free, compassionate and evidence-based support for all families in West Kent who need it. Despite its crucial service, Baby Umbrella receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations, so any support you're able to contribute will be so gratefully received.

A special thanks to my canine running partner and patient pacemaker, who provides constant reminders to keep me on top of my somewhat erratic training schedule…

Thank you!

Amy