In February 2024, I’m running a 220km ultramarathon in Tanzania for my niece Beatrice (Bea) Akhurst, who was born sleeping on 2/7/23 at 29 weeks. 🤍

Forever Stars

In the UK, 1 in every 250 pregnancies ends in a stillbirth, but 38% of maternity units don’t have a specialist bereavement midwife or private space that enables families to stay together and spend precious time with their baby.

Bea was delivered in QMC in Nottingham, where a fantastic charity called Forever Stars has facilitated the building and equipping of a bereavement suite and other support materials for bereaved parents in and around the East Midlands. The suite in particular allows families to spend time with their child, forming years' worth of memories in a short space of time.

I'd love to help them continue this brilliant work, and ensure future families are supported through one of the toughest times of their lives. You can read more here.

The mission

Ultra X Tanzania is a multi-stage ultramarathon that takes place over five days (26 February-1 March) in northern Tanzania around Mount Kilimanjaro.

I'll be running 220km in total - roughly a marathon a day - with 5,781m elevation and temperatures between 19-34C.

Most people will know I’m no stranger to a marathon by now, but I've never attempted anything as big as this (and over my 26th birthday no less), so any money you can spare is hugely appreciated, whether it’s £1, £5, £10 or more.

Hoping we can do Bea proud!