I ran my first marathon in November 2002 for Parkinsons, which my father had at the time and he died shortly afterwards. I wanted to run London Marathon in April 2025, the month of my 60th birthday, and I have been very lucky to get the Tetbury Dolphins Running Club place.

It's a long time since I have asked for sponsorship for my crazy running challenges but this April marks four years since my mother died at Horsfall House. Horsfall House is an amazing care home in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. My mother was diagnosed with dementia in her early 60s and there followed a rollercoaster of plateaus followed by further decline which went on for 15+ years. She had full time care for ten years, and was at Horsfall House for the last four years.

As I have said before, the love and care shown to her at Horsfall House made what could have been a truly terrible time for my sister Diana and me, not that at all, and we were able to carry on our own lives as our mother would have wished, knowing that she was in the best place.

So I am taking the opportunity of this Tetbury Dolphins marathon place to raise money for a Gloucestershire charity to fund respite care places so that other families can have time off from caring and get their own lives back a bit too.

Thank you!