From 14th - 21st January 2024, I will be competing in the Winter Spine Race. Widely regarded as Britain’s Most Brutal endurance race, The Winter Spine is a non-stop, 268 mile race along the Pennine Way. Beginning at Edale, I will have a time limit of only 168 hours to reach the village of Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. I’ll cross some of the most beautiful but difficult terrain, including the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviots. This challenge is set to test the most toughened athlete's physical resilience and mental fortitude, with ⅔ of the race taking place in darkness, competitors battling sleep deprivation, and suffering the worst of Britain’s winter weather! I’m full of excitement at the thought of taking on this incredible challenge, and the opportunity to test my limits.

As part of this challenge, I plan to fundraise to support three fully funded scholarships at the University of Sheffield for women from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is a cause close to my heart because in my role as a Student Support Manager at the University, I frequently witness students who are desperately trying to make ends meet while studying on full time degrees. The cost of living crisis has meant that students are having to work (sometimes more than one job), commute long distances (to save on accommodation costs), and miss out on social and sporting activities which are such an important part of university life. Some of these students also have caring responsibilities. When I learned about what our university is already doing to help these students, I realised that by doing this huge event, and with the University’s support, I could potentially make a difference to some of these students’ lives.

Scholarships can change the life of a bright student from a low-income household forever. For a student from a disadvantaged background, it can be the difference between going to university or not. These students have the most to gain from university life. But they also have the most to worry about financially if they get here.

With your help, we can give more talented people the chance to benefit from a University of Sheffield education.

You can also follow my progress on Strava here!