I will be taking part in the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge 2024 and will be walking 100km on Saturday 18th May. We will start at 7.30am at Corfe Castle, head towards and loop Swanage before heading West down the coast past Lulworth Cove, into Weymouth and then on to Bridport.

We start at 7.30am on the Saturday morning and hope to cross the finish line at some point on Sunday.

Training has been a real eye-opener as to just how much of a challenge this is going to be. I’ve walked most of the route in 20-45km segments and it’s a varied and challenging terrain with some really tough hills and paths to navigate!

More information about the challenge here - https://www.ultrachallenge.com/jurassic-coast-challenge/

I’ve taken on this challenge because I want to test my physical and mental resilience, but also because it’s a great opportunity to raise money for Terrence Higgins Trust.

This event is just a couple of weeks shy of the 7 year anniversary of my own HIV diagnosis. I knew very little about HIV when I was diagnosed, apart from what was shown on TV and the stories that still live on from the HIV & AIDS pandemic in the 80s and 90s. These are many people’s only reference points, however they are not a true reflection of what living with HIV in 2024 looks like.

After my diagnosis, I was signposted to Terrence Higgins Trust website and after accessing the resources available, I realised I could live a perfectly normal and healthy life. Once on effective treatment, I would not be able to pass the virus on to others and I felt empowered and equipped with the knowledge to be able to tell those close to me.

Terrence Higgins do lots of great work to help breakdown the stigma that surrounds HIV and they aim to end new cases of HIV transmission in the UK by 2030.