In September 2024 I decided to enter Mrs Galaxy UK, part of the United Kingdom Galaxy Pageant and became Mrs North Yorkshire Galaxy 24/25.

I have never entered a pageant before in my life and to be honest at 5'3" and a size 12 with naturally grey hair, would not have dreamt in January 2024, when I celebrated my 56th birthday, that I ever would.

I do know, having helped create 3 legacy charities and funds over the past decade and a half, that life is short and we need to embrace it. I work helping independent business owners improve their work life blend and ensure they are making midlife matter. Why ? because Ellie, Andrew and Mandy didn't get the chance to do that.

One of the legacy funds I was involved with was for a good friend of mine, Mandy Taylor MBE. She created the legacy she wanted, #bemoremandy, before she passed away in December 2021. Mandy and I were the same age. A quote she loved was “You can’t add days to your life, but you can add life to your days”. So that is what I am doing, inspired by Mandy who fought cancer three times.

Having helped to bring a collaboration together that included Ellie's Fund - Brain Tumour Trust, that I was a Trustee of at the time, BTRS, now Yorkshire's Brain Tumour Charity, and Yorkshire Cancer Research who lead on the partnership that funded Dr Lucy Stead to carry out brain tumour research in Leeds, I know the amazing work YCR do and the cost of research that will help to make a difference for Yorkshire people, and possibly others across the world, affected by cancer.

More recently a lovely friend of mine Claire has received support from Yorkshire Cancer Research as part of the Active Together programme after being diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2022. Claire knows that Active Together has been vital in her recovery process. Programmes like this would not be possible without funding to make them happen.

So when I wanted to fundraise during my time as Mrs North Yorkshire Galaxy 24/25 there really was no other charity I wanted to raise money for and over the next 6 months I will embark on my own fundraising fun and some endeavours that are more challenging than joy bringing. If you are able to help Yorkshire Cancer Research by making a small donation I would be very grateful. Hugs TB