Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I am raising money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. SSAFA has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885. In 2017, their staff and team of volunteers supported over 73,227 people, from Second World War veterans to young men and women who have served in more recent conflicts. For every £1 that you donate to SSAFA, 89p will go directly to help their beneficiaries.
Geoff and I were first introduced to SSAFA 10 years ago by our dear friends and neighbours Pat and her husband Trevor, (who served in the Worcestershire Regiment, this year celebrating the 60th anniversary of his commissioning from Sandhurst). Pat and Trevor raised money for SSAFA by hosting garden parties every summer, which we really enjoyed attending with our boys.
In 2018 Trevor and Pat helped my family to discover more about my Great Grandfather, Leonard Winwood. We discovered that Leonard had also served in the Worcestershire Regiment and had fought at the Battle of the Somme. Tragically, Leonard was killed in 1918, as he returned home victorious from France, when the train that his battalion were travelling on became derailed.
I had applied to the ballot of the Virgin London Marathon and literally the day that our family went to visit old family war memorials, I received an email from SSAFA asking if I wanted to apply for a place to run the Marathon in Team SSAFA:-)
I’m taking on a massive challenge for me, as it was only in April 2018 that I decided to try to become more healthy, starting the Couch to 5K app. The Virgin London Marathon is not only a HUGE physical (and mental) endeavour for me, but I have also set a very ambitious fundraising target. I am so very grateful for all your support and encouragement and any donation that you can afford to give, to help me to support SSAFA’s brilliant work.
I run in tribute and thanks to all the exceptional men and women of the Forces and marking the 101st anniversary of the end of the First World World War.