I am running the Cambridge half marathon on Sunday 3 March and am fundraising for Evolve, a local counselling charity in the Cambridge area.

Evolve subsidises counselling and talking therapy to make it more affordable for those who may not be able to otherwise access it.

An on/off spiral of anxiety and depression came to a head for me two years ago when I broke my ankle. It required two operations to fuse the bone with metal plates and a long recovery where I lost all confidence in being active - even walking seemed a challenge. I isolated myself and lost exercise as an outlet, and the spiral worsened.

It was a long bumpy road but in early 2023 I realised that therapy could be the answer I’d been seeking. But by the time I was ready to ask for help, I faced either a 1yr+ waiting list or paying up to £80 a session, which wasn’t an option. Thankfully, through Evolve I was able to access more affordable counselling almost straight away.

The last year has changed my life. I have never looked back from my therapy journey, and I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to seek support and build self-awareness, no matter their financial circumstances.

I am now in a much happier place, and gained the confidence to start running again, supplemented with Pilates.

Me running just over 13 miles almost seems implausible. But that’s the point: it’s something I never thought I could do when in fact, I can - so I will! And I would love your help to raise money for Evolve while doing it 🙏🏻

Anything you can give will be an amazing support and motivation.

Thank you

Sarah x

Your donation

Everyone should be able to access counselling no matter their background, and any donation you make will support Evolve in subsidising sessions for those who need it.

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