On 21^st May, Dan and I are running (mostly, we hope) 13.1miles in Exeter’s Great West Run.  Four weeks later on 18^th June, we are fortunate enough to be heading off to the Canadian Rockies to clock up more miles in the Banff Half Marathon.  The latter was a dream born in 2019, when we (having not run since school) inadvertently ended up in Banff on race day, and said to each other in awe ‘Maybe that could be us one day’.  One pandemic, four years, several pairs of trainers and quite a lot of miles later, and it (almost, hopefully) is. 

The journey to get there has not gone remotely to plan.  Training has been severely disrupted (aka – completely and unexpectedly halted) in recent weeks by a round the world work trip (Dan) and tripping headlong on some steps and smashing a concrete riser into my knee (Laura).  We won’t be setting any world records (or personal bests), but one way or another, we hope to at least make it around the courses and cross that finishing line.

Because sometimes life just does throw up unexpected challenges – and you have to battle on and find a new way through.  Many people without a home in Exeter have experienced things that no one would wish in a life-plan, including trauma, relationship and family breakdown and serious ill-health.  It takes far more grit, determination (and a little splash of hope) to pick yourself up from those things than it does to sweat around a couple of race-routes (even with sub-optimal fitness and slightly-dodgy-knee).   

That’s one of the things I love most about the charity, St Petrock’s, I’m lucky enough to work for.  They carry that determination for people who have lost hope, until they can find it again for themselves.  It’s so clear in the care that my frontline colleagues pour into the ‘little’ daily things – taking the time to listen to someone as they recount past hobbies, helping someone find clothes in a colour they actually like in our store.  They never give up on people, or the fight to help them find somewhere they can call home.

Laura & Dan

St Petrock's is Exeter's local homelessness charity based in Cathedral Yard. This is a beautiful city, but it sadly also has one of the highest levels of homelessness in the country which has roughly doubled in the past 12 months.We provide food and drinks twice a day to people who are homeless, clothing and laundry, showers, sleeping bags, help to access healthcare and mental health support, assistance to find housing or claim benefits, and so much more. In addition, we also provide accommodation for people with nowhere to call home, and are actively looking to purchase more properties in the coming months.If you'd like to help us support people without a home in Exeter please consider raising money for us while you're keeping super fit! You'll even get to wear one of our lovely t-shirts!Thank you so much.The St Petrock's Team