I’m raising money in memory of my dear friend Mairi Ella Challen, who sadly passed away last year. On top of her many talents and achievements, Mairi Ella was a very caring person who would always put other people’s needs first.

I vividly remember her offering to buy food for homeless people every time we went shopping, and stopping to chat with them, sometimes for a good couple of hours because that’s just the type of person she was.

Many of us were very saddened by her death but I just wanted to find a way to keep her legacy going. She was one of the kindest, warmest, most generous people I know, among lots of other things. I hope the money I raise by running the Robin Hood half marathon in her memory will help improve other people’s lives. The donations will go to Emmanuel House, a local charity that supports the homeless and those who are at risk of homelessness in Nottingham.