Hello!

This year, I’ll be taking on the AJ Bell Great North Run—the biggest half marathon in the world—in my beloved home-away-from-home, Newcastle upon Tyne.

I’ve set myself this challenge because, for years, I’ve fallen in and out of running—something I’ve sporadically loved and enjoyed since March 2020 (you can probably guess why!). By having an event to work towards, I wanted to give myself a goal to stay consistent with my training.

In the process, it only felt right to raise vital funds for an organisation that means so much to me.

The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust was established in 2013 after Kevin Bell, a young man from Newry, tragically passed away in New York City at the age of just 26—the same age I’ll be when I take on this race.

Following an incredible outpouring of support from Kevin’s friends, family, and colleagues, funds were raised to repatriate his remains back to Ireland. As a lasting legacy to Kevin, the Bell family decided to use the funds to establish a charity to help other families facing similar tragedies.

The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust works to alleviate the financial hardship of bereaved families repatriating the remains of loved ones who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances.

Since its foundation, the Trust has helped over 1,600 families bring their loved ones home to the island of Ireland, giving them the chance to hold the wake, funeral, and send-off that they and their communities deserve.

There’s no pain more paralysing than grief, and no family understands that better than the Bells. Their work has always inspired me, and I’m proud to support this incredible cause.

Any support you can give means the world to me. Whether it’s a donation, a kudos on Strava, or a big cheer from the sidelines on race day—every little bit helps.

In the meantime, it’s time to dust off the Hokas and hit the streets, because this race isn’t going to run itself.

Thanks a bunch!

KF