This year we’ve got a whopping 37 people running the London marathon for us, and in doing so raising funds and awareness to save sight and change lives. Excitingly, one of those runners will be our very own Jessica Norfolk, who works as our Finance and HR Assistant. We caught up with Jess to find out about how she’s feeling about taking part in this iconic event.

Jess has been putting her name in for the marathon ballot since she turned 18, as she has always known this is something she’s wanted to do. Her dad running the marathon a few years ago in aid of Dystonia UK only fuelled her desire to run this epic course. Jess herself lives with Dystonia, so the fact she’s able to take part means a lot.

Despite this being something Jess has wanted for a long time, she said that getting to take part in the London Marathon this year has felt like fate. Our spaces filled up really quickly but when one suddenly became available again, Jess snapped it up, feeling “it was a sign!”.

Preparations for the marathon can be intense, specifically the training process and the fundraising target. But now aged 24, with a full-time job, Jess feels more ready than ever to tackle these challenges. Plus, Jess now gets to run on behalf of the charity she works for, making the experience even more meaningful.