During lockdown, I've achieved two things: graduating university (sadly without the graduation ceremony), and learning how to run. I tried to run a few years back when I did the colour run for Once Upon a Smile in 2016, and I didn't take it much further. After struggling for motivation to home workouts with not being able to go to the gym, I took up running again, this time with help from Couch to 5k and my chosen coach, Sarah Millican. 27 runs later (including an injury break, a self-isolation break, and a general 'I can't be arsed'/mental health break), I have finally run for 30 minutes. It might not sound a lot, but it's 30 minutes more than I was doing at the start of this year! And I'm actually enjoying it! So when I saw Sidley's Virtual Santa Dash, I thought, 'why not'? What a great way to end a difficult year, and mark me learning to run 5k. 

This charity means a lot to me. I've fundraised for them, volunteered for them, and supported them in various ways before. This year, their work is as important as ever to support grieving families and children in such a difficult and strange time. And after such a tough fundraising year, they need as much support as they can get. Every bit you can donate will go such a long way to helping wonderful children in the hardest time of their life.

And as always, this one's for my mum. I thankfully have many memories of Christmas time with my mum when I was young; from decorating the house, my first wonderful year performing in panto, Christmas day, presents, her wonderful Christmas dinner. And it's not the same without her. So this one's for her, and for all those other 9 year old girls experiencing a Christmas without their favourite person.

Since lockdown was announced on the 23rd March 2020, it has been an extremely difficult time for the charitable sector, especially smaller charities like ours. The welfare and safety of our staff, the families we support and those who support us, has been paramount in the many difficult decisions we have taken over the last few months. As a self-funded charity we rely heavily on the fundraising events that we plan and run throughout the year in collaboration with our supporters and corporate partners. The slow realisation that our fundraising year was to be non-existent this year was a difficult and worrying time for us all.We have had to adapt our fundraising plan this year to virtual events and we are so excited that YOU can be involved from anywhere in the Country (or beyond!) Thank you all for your support! Without you, we couldn't do what we do.