CARE provides immediate aid to people hit by disasters and emergencies, and long-term support to poor communities to rebuild lives and overcome poverty. They work in 79 poor and developing countries, helping millions of people every year.

I know CARE's work through Lendwithcare, an initiative that  helps some of the world’s poorest people work their way out of poverty. I have met farmers in Cambodia that now employ people from their village to work in their fields thanks to a helping hand to buy more land. And in Rwanda, a lady who proudly showed me the house that she has been able to build for her and her son through the success of her wedding supply business.

I know that what CARE and Lendwithcare does has a direct positive impact on people and their communities around the world. So I want to boost that impact by running the Edinburgh Half Marathon in May AND the Great North Run in September to raise money and awareness of what they do.

Most of you will know that I'm an enthusiastic runner, but I haven't run a half marathon (that's 13.1 miles) in four years, so it's a big challenge for me to run one, let alone two in the same year.

It will be great to have your support as I sweat and slog my way through training for and racing two 13.1 mile events in 2019. And it will be even better to know that money you help raise will make a huge difference to people around the world. 

You can find out more about my trip to Rwanda with Lendwithcare in this blog:  https://lendwithcare.org/news/post/XK3c0BEAAB8ACQLV