Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. For those of you who know me you will appeciate this is no easy challenge. I aim to completed the Great North Run (Walk/Jog/Crawl) 2022 in september. I have decided to Run in aid of Berwick Cancer Cars in the memory of a dear colleague and friend Shirley Ferguson.

Last year unfortunatly Shirley lost her battle with cancer. This was a huge loss not just to Shirleys family and friends but also her colleagues at Tesco Berwick. 

For me when Shirley passed I wasnt sure how I wanted to pay my respects to Shirley's family. I am not a huge fan of flowers and never really know what to say or do during these difficult times. At the time colleagues in store held a collection and Dave (Shirley's Husband) decided to donate the funds to Berwick Cancer Cars. Although Shirley herself never required the need and support of this amazing charity it did bring the amazing work that the charity does to light which many colleagues at Tesco otherwise might not have heard about. 

It was after hearing about the work that they do that i decided that I wanted to also help support or donate something more. I spoke to various people from the charity and locals in town who have unfortunatly had to use the charity in the past. There was different ways that I could help but the way I thought would honour Shirley the most would be to sign up to The Great North Run 2022 and raise funds to help them to continue the great work they do.

Myself and Shirley would often talk and laugh about my wieght and constant diets as well as the need to get fit. Sharing receipes from slimming world or passing judgment on my lunch of soup and crackerbreads and her lunch of bake potatoes and beans. She would remind me often that my holiday was coming up and my cheat nights of takeaways will catch up with me. Therefore I know that she would approve of this tribute and also chuckle at my attempt.

Shirley played a huge part in our team at Tesco Berwick. Whether is was mothering some  colleagues or keeping others in line or supporting others when they needed it. Berfore covid Shirley, myself and a few others would lunch on the first monday of the month with colleagues who have retired or been on long term sick just to let them know they hadnt been forgotten about. I know this meant so much to those colleagues.

Since last year Shirley's presence has been a huge miss and been felt by all those who knew and loved her amazing comical sense of timing and her outrageous comments on usually the most mundane of matters. These moments will stay will me and others for a very long time. Shirley had a knack of making whoever she was speaking to feel connected to her in one way or another.  Always making time anyone who wanted to speak to her, needed a shoulder to cry on or an ear to chew off. I know the funds raised in Shirley's name will help this amazing local charity.

Please support me and this charity in anyway you can.

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