I can appreciate that this may come as a surprise to many of you, as admittedly I am better known for:

-Moaning about walking 'short' distances, even if it is to the pub.

-Refusing to do any and all long walks - charitable or social (but I would sponsor you!)

-Always opting to Uber or bus where possible, whatever the distance.

-Never dressing appropriately for the outdoors - weather or terrain.

-Flat out refusing to partake in any activity that requires specialist shoes.

And all of that is hard to deny, but that was old Mandy... This Mandy is working her ass off to be able to run 22.1km / 13.1 miles for #TeamRedCross. I truly admire any of you sporting types, because this is tough and I’d massively appreciate your support - in the form of sponsorship and encouraging words. Anything you can afford would be very gratefully received. And I promise, in return, to share the hideous photos of my very sweaty and expressive face during the run.

I'm running the Hackney Half Marathon as part of a fabulous team from GroundWork Training. The GroundWork Training Coaching team have been running a Run Club with Pavilion cafe since July 2024. We are now coming together as a club, alongside GroundWork Training members to train together over the next few months to challenge ourselves for the Hackney Half marathon in May 2025.

Some are seasoned runners, looking to challenge themselves with a new PB, for others this is our first attempt at a race of any kind.

We have joined #TeamRedCross to ensure that they can help anyone, anywhere in the UK and around the world, get the support they need if crisis strikes.

Every pound donated will make a huge difference to help those affected by crisis:

-£5 could provide a community in Bangladesh with training on water sanitation and hygiene, helping people keep themselves healthy after a disaster.

-£12 could buy a hygiene pack for a refugee or person seeking asylum in the UK, giving them access to some of the basics no one should go without.

-£20 could give a parent in the UK the essential items they need to care for a newborn baby, when they have lost everything due to flooding.

-£50 could help a family in Nigeria prepare for when severe flooding hits again.

-£75 could keep 150 survivors of a fire at a block of flats in the UK warm, while we support them to find emergency accommodation for the night.

Any donation you can give would be much appreciated to help the British Red Cross with their cause, and drive us all forwards to achieve our own personal goals!

Thank you!