Thank you for visiting my page.

On the weekend of the 7/8th of September 2024, I will be travelling 'up North' to my home town (I hide the accent well) ... home of the Geordie Stottie Cake, Newky Brown and one of the best football teams of all time, Newcastle United … although this time I won't be there to watch the match ... instead I'm taking part in The Great North Run.

Having run the GNR 4 times for various charities, this year I’m doing it in style … I’m going to be chauffeur driven to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (#TeamMND).

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting and can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe.

Some people also get changes to their thinking and behaviour but the disease affects everyone differently. Not all symptoms will affect everyone, or in the same order. Symptoms also progress at varying speeds, which makes the course of the disease difficult to predict and currently there is no effective treatment or cure … half of the 1,500 people diagnosed each year die within 24 months.

So, why this charity and why am I being chauffeur driven?

“My name is Claire and I have MND”. They are the hardest words I’ve ever had to say out loud.

It’s been a hugely tough journey, one in which it took 2 years for an official diagnosis and a journey that is never going to get better until they find a cure … perhaps not in my lifetime.

But this isn’t about me … I’d like something positive to happen as a result of having MND. With your support, my ‘chauffeurs’ and I would like to raise as much money as we can and to create awareness of MND along the way.

I have an amazing team (which I’ve convinced to dress up as Superheroes!) to push me … 4 brilliant friends, together with my brother and my son.

It’s going to be very emotional this year, especially as I’m unable to run it. However, with all your support, it will give my team of ‘Superheroes’ the determination and emotional strength to succeed (and apparently I’m a tiny bit stubborn too) …

Any donation, no matter how small, will be very much appreciated.

Many thanks - Claire