I am taking part in my first ever Tough Mudder 5k race in association with MIND charity in loving memory of my beautiful big brother, Tom, who sadly passed away in November 2023.

Since I lost my big brother, life has felt empty. I lost my best friend, my big brother protector, my right arm. Tom was 1/3 of my soul, myself and our brother Joe have lost our third Musketeer and my parents have lost their rock.

Anyone who knew Tom knew how selfless he was, he would do anything for anybody, ensuring they had all they needed, even if it meant he went without. He was always at the other end of the phone to help, and we always joked how proactive he was in a crisis, he would get any mishap done and sorted and his passing has left a huge apparent hole in our lives. He was the life and soul of the party with the best sense of humour you ever came across, he always knew how to make you smile. There aren’t enough words to describe how much of an amazing man Tom was, but in a nutshell, everyone needs a Tom.

Being lost after a loss is hard and extremely lonely, you wake up still in a nightmare knowing there is nothing you can do but carry on, carry on for that person you love and lost and that’s what I do daily for my brother. I carry on for him and for my baby girls, Tom’s nieces who he loved and adored so much, hoping he’d be proud of me.

I can’t bring Tom home, as much as I need him, but what I can do is keep his memory alive by doing events in memory of his beautiful soul. So what better way, than to put myself in a challenge, something to focus on in a positive way, raising money for a fantastic mental health charity, MIND, to raise the funds for resources to help and hold people through a crisis, and to help and support families who unfortunately are facing the nightmare we face daily. We all wish mental health problems didn’t exist, but with the raising of funds for resources, it could save someone’s life, someone who doesn’t know how loved they are and deserves to live their life.

Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. But hundreds of thousands of people are still struggling.

MIND believe no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. They listen, give you support and advice, and fight your corner.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a heartbreaking mental health crisis, please seek help from the following:

999/111 for urgent help

0300-123-3393 MIND Helpline UK

116-123 for Samaritans Helpline UK

0800-689-5652 for Suicide Prevention Helpline UK

“It’s okay to not be okay, it’s part of being human. You may not be okay right now, but I believe you will be okay eventually. Being vulnerable and admitting you’re not okay, takes strength. Just because you’re not okay, it doesn’t mean you’re weak, you’re strong for accepting that. It’s okay to let others in and support you, when you’re not okay. We’re in this together”

Please follow along for my journey to complete my first ever 5K Tough Mudder. There will no doubt be tears and challenges but I’m up for it 💪I will be posting training updates throughout the next few months and thank you all for your ongoing support, any and all support is greatly appreciated.

For Tom ❤️

Donate today and join the fight for better mental health.