As a proud patron of Mermaids, I will be taking part in The 2.6 Challenge on April 26th, to help them continue supporting trans and gender questioning young people and their families during the ongoing pandemic.

I'll be completing an Insanity training session every day, consecutively, for 26 days.  No rest days, no half days. No 'Oh I'm tired, I'll pick it up again tomorrow' days.

I'm one of those annoying people who can eat all the doughnuts and not put on weight - but that doesn't mean I'm fit.  This will hurt!  If you've not seen Insanity, here’s a taster.  I've never before completed more than a couple of sessions a week and not at all for many years.  Time for Shaun T and the team to kick me back into shape and help Mermaids - Insanity-style!

(I'll be posting (Instagram, FB, Twitter) updates and logging everything to Strava, so no cheating!)

For 25 years, Mermaids has worked to reduce isolation and give support to trans and gender diverse children and their families. This need continues through the current pandemic and includes a dedicated helpline, online community forums and digital events.

Over the last 6 years, Mermaids has responded incredibly to the increase in demand and visibility.  I know exactly what a difference this support means and am so thankful Mermaids exists as it does now - they make all the difference to these families in what can still be a challenging world for trans and gender diverse people.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect with the cancellation of thousands of events and the loss of billions in income through fundraising events.

The London Marathon alone, which should have taken place on Sunday 26 April, is the world’s biggest one-day fundraising event, which raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of charities in 2019.

Many of these charities have had to reduce or stop services at a time when vulnerable members of society need them most; thousands of staff have been placed on furlough and many charities will not survive the next few months.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.