This December I am taking part in a Hyrox competition at the London Excel centre. For anyone unfamiliar, Hyrox is a hellish combination of running and functional workouts. If you want to feel really sorry for me, take a look here to see what I will be attempting on the 5th December in a pair with another mum that I met through our gym's mum and baby classes: https://hyrox.com/the-fitness-race/

Finding the idea of this already quite daunting, I thought I might as well put myself out there even further and fundraise for a charity that means a lot to me personally, and has had a huge impact on my life over the last year.

Postnatal depression is thought to afflict more than 1 in 10 women in the first year after giving birth and yet it is still barely spoken about. Feelings of loneliness and isolation play a huge part and Home Start helped me to feel heard and supported during a time when I desperately needed it. They offer a variety of support which for me included a lovely volunteer who came to my house for a couple of hours each week, and counselling with someone experienced in helping mothers through postpartum depression.

Their services are available to all parents who meet the criteria, and you can find out more about the charity here: https://homestartmerton.co.uk/

Home Start is not unique to Merton, and many locations have their own branch so if it feels more appropriate, please do donate to your local branch. And please don't be afraid to tell a friend who you think might benefit from their help.