I have been incredibly lucky to have been chosen as one of eight to take on the Venari Partners Challenge 2026 — an eight-day trek across the Canadian Rockies.

I will, of course, be taking on this epic challenge in memory of our beautiful first daughter, Sophia, whom we very sadly lost shortly after she was born in 2020.

After a complicated end to the pregnancy, during which we found out she had fluid around her lungs, there was still a fairly positive outlook. However, we were devastated when she was born critically ill. She spent a month in the NICU at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol, where she was cared for before we sadly had to say goodbye.

During our time in NICU, we were offered a room at the Cots for Tots House — a house within the hospital grounds that provides free accommodation for parents with children in NICU. Having a room there allowed us to spend as much time as possible with Sophia, which was a small comfort during a very difficult time.

We will always be so grateful that the Cots for Tots House was available to us and other families, and we will continue to support them in any way we can.