SSNAP is a charity that is very very close to my heart. As many of you know, Raff was admitted to the intensive care unit in the NICU just a few hours after he was born and went on to stay there for four weeks. It was completely unexpected and the most challenging experience Oli and I have ever faced. We had the newborn bubble completely robbed from us, no cosy newborn snuggles on the sofa with a cup of tea or getting to know him in our own space at our own pace. Instead he was head to toe in wires, endless tests and scans, days where we weren't able to get him out of his incubator ... and when we could it was a three person operation to do so! It was a totally wild ride, especially whilst trying to recover from labour too.

However, SSNAP is a charity that is designed to make all of this that little bit more manageable. Their incredibly kind and lovely team would frequently come round and check how we were all doing, never leave us without filling our pockets with snacks or filling up my water bottle if I was attached to the breast pump and coudn't move. They left out lovely gifts for all the families, like a little goody bag on Mother's Day or Easter eggs at Easter. They employ psychologists who regularly check in and chat to you. Even the specialist feeding chairs we sat on were funded by them. They're like Fairy Godmothers of the NICU and the work they do is so important! Four weeks of Raff being in hospital was tough, but they truly made it feel a lot easier and many families with babies who are premature will be there a lot longer than we were.

SSNAP is a support system when you need it the most, I'll never forget the first day we were there and we didn't really know who they were. Oli and I were very stressed and upset and this lovely woman appeared with a hot coffee and a bar of chocolate. They were the first person to speak to us and it not be about anything medical, but instead just words of kindness and a shoulder to cry on - we really needed it and it just really stuck with me.

I would love it if you could donate to SSNAP and I'll try and smash the Oxford half marathon in return!