What am I doing?

Over the next two weeks starting the 20th April I am going to be running a marathon! As someone who can dance for many hours without needing a break, but can run for 2 minutes before having to stop, this is going to be a challenge! Which is why I am doing 3 km in my lunch hour for a fortnight, rather than 42km in a single day!

Why am I doing this?

For the past 7 years I have been a cadet at the Oswestry unit of St John Ambulance, December 2018 I was promoted to the rank of being their Lead Cadet and I’m just coming up to the end of my term as the Regional Youth Forum representative for my district. What SJA has given me has been immense: Confidence in myself and in my skills, experiences ranging from emergency first aid response to meeting HRH Princess Anne, a passion that I can share through teaching others and a family that I never knew was possible to have. 

SJA are currently on the frontline, helping our NHS with the pandemic and we need funds, more than ever. 

I’m doing this because I want to be able to continue volunteering with an organisation that has given me so much. I want to be able to come out the other side of this pandemic and still have SJA. And by helping them, I'm helping the NHS, which I not only need to keep me alive, but I want to be able to work and be a part of, in the future. In order to do this, it needs to still be here. 

I’m doing this in memory of my Grandpop. He passed away at the end of March, being cared for right until the end by amazing NHS staff who went out of their way to comfort him and to comfort us as we couldn't be with him due to the pandemic. I know he was so proud of my involvement with SJA.

So it’s a win-win scenario. Best case? I raise lots of money for this amazing organisation! Worst case? I get to say I ran a marathon!