After starting my running journey in earnest at the beginning of the year, I somehow had enough ambition to enter the public ballot for the London Marathon. I wasn't lucky enough to secure a space and thought nothing more of it until an opportunity to run with Defender's partner charity, the British Red Cross came up. I entered the ballot not expecting anything as there are a lot more experienced runners than myself and was surprised to find out I had a spot!

Together, we are the world’s emergency responders. When you see a major emergency in the news, it’s likely that the British Red Cross are helping those affected. From earthquakes to armed conflict, from fires to floods, in the UK and abroad, our teams react quickly with humanitarian aid and kindness across 192 countries, applying local knowledge and global expertise to save lives and provide comfort. Outside of emergencies, in the UK, our services reach people who are vulnerable to provide company, care and compassion.