With the Royal Parks Half Marathon 2021 being held virtually this year on April 11 2021 due to the Covid pandemic I decided to add a bit of adventure and challenge to my run by plotting a route close to home off road in the hills of the beautiful Candover Valley in Hampshire rather than the flat open spaces of the London parks! Over 1000 ft of climbs in the run.  It will be a slow and muddy run with glorious views of the countryside and hopefully a bit of fun!

I have convinced a few others to join me with Melissa Craven and Tanya Lloyd, my Hampshire running buddies running too for their own chosen causes.  So hopefully it won't be too lonely without the crowds to cheer us on and we will see a few local friends on dog walks en route!! 

On a more serious note,  taking on this challenge to run virtually struck me as so critically important this year given how much charities like Royal Trinity Hospice have suffered so gravely during the Covid Pandemic from the lack of organised events, cancellations and fundraising.  It is just under 5 years since Charlie died and he would have been 39 on 26 March of this year.  Taken from us so young from testicular cancer. However, I have reflected on how lucky we were to have spent so much time with Charlie during his illness, the hospital visits, the treatment, the care at home and his last days of palliative care at Trinity.  We as a family and with his wife Jess were by his side.  Trinity Hospice were incredible with the family offering counselling, support, time and precious moments together to say goodbye.  The care and support they offer their patients at the end of life is truly exceptional.  Over the last year people with sick relatives and friends have not been so lucky or able to enjoy this time with loved ones being kept apart by the pandemic risks and rules.  The less talked of victims and sufferers of the pandemic.  This has made the work of charities such as Royal Trinity Hospice even more vital and tough to manage and makes funding support for them even more crucial.  Please give generously.    

Donations like yours make the first class palliative and end of life care Royal Trinity provide completely free. Every moment matters. Please help us make more for them by donating today.

Many thanks

Lizzie