On 12th April, I will be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon for the Royal Free Charity.

The Royal Free Charity is an NHS charity partner which supports Chase Farm, Barnet, North Middlesex and the Royal Free Hospital.

The charity drives life-changing research and innovation, as well as investing in the best available technology and equipment for research and treatment. This can facilitate early diagnosis and enable life-saving treatment.

They also support staff and patients through a huge volunteering network. Currently, there are 472 volunteers performing various roles across the sites, which in 2023 collectively volunteered over 27,000 hours. By volunteering for over 10 months, I was able to support the foundation and firsthand see the amazing work that the charity carries out. Volunteers can ease the heavy workload that staff face on a daily basis, as well as connecting with patients and visitors to enhance their hospital experience.

The charity provides support for volunteers, including various training courses to broaden our skills and knowledge, expense reimbursements and lunch vouchers.

However, none of this would be possible if it wasn’t for the donations and grants received to provide funding to continue driving research, innovation and volunteering work.

The London Landmarks Half Marathon is roughly 21km, starting at Downing Street and finishing at Trafalgar Square. Having never done a long distance race like this, I’m aiming for a nice even 2 hours, but we'll see how things go on the day!

My aim is to raise £350. A massive thank you in advance for donating whatever you can, it really makes a huge difference!