After running 10 marathons for St Luke’s Hospice, I thought it was time for a different challenge! And boy, what a challenge it is going to be, especially for my lovely dance partner Hannah Rosie Clifforth from United Dance Studios, Essex.

This year I am taking part in Strictly St Luke’s, where I have to learn one Ballroom and Latin dance and then compete against 9 other couples for the Glitter Ball next March at the Civic Hall. The dances Hannah will be teaching me are the Paso Doble and the Quickstep. The sponsorship I receive will be converted into points on the night, so the more £££s the better (as I will need all the help I can get).

Whether dancing shoes or running shoes, St Luke’s Hospice is an amazing organisation and one which is very close to my family’s heart. My father-in-law was an inpatient at the Hospice in 2007, where the nurses and carers provided both him and our family with the best possible care in his final days. And then sadly in 2016 my mother-in-law had the support of Hospice at Home, again providing faultless care to enable her to end her days in the home she loved, holding all her precious memories. Our family will always be eternally grateful to St Luke’s for their care, support and compassion at such a difficult time and no amount of money will ever be enough to repay them. 

Any donations will be very gratefully received and might get me a bit higher up the leader board to start with. I will of course post regular updates of my journey and how the dance training is going. But in the meantime ….. keep donating !!