As part of my general denial that I'm turning 50, I am celebrating by challenging myself to run 50 miles over the month I turn 50. I'll start on my birthday and have a month from that day to total 50 miles of running.

As well as this helping to take my mind off moving into a new decade, I thought it would be a great birthday present to raise money for two causes that I’m personally connected to in different ways… Seemingly I have not become any better at making decisions at 50 - I couldn't choose, so have left it to you to decide which you want to donate to!

Firstly, I want to support a charity that my brilliant dad is very involved with and which provides excellent support for young people in St Albans who are facing challenges or worries in their lives. Youth Talk provide free and confidential counselling sessions to young people in the St Albans area and is facing growing and exceptional demand at the moment. In my work I see the demand for this service and know how valued Youth Talk is in the local community and so would love to support them in meeting their fundraising goals.

I also want to support a community project in my local area at the amazing Bridgewater Primary school which is very close to my heart from having been a parent and a governor there in previous years. They are fundraising to build a new hub called the Haven at Bridgewater, to provide space to support children with special educational needs and to act as a hub for use of the wider school community. They would like to make this a sustainable build to have as small an impact on the environment as possible. I know the school does so many great things to support the children in their care and the wider school community in the best possible way, as well as promoting protecting nature and the environment and lowering their carbon footprint. I am keen to support them in this new venture which will be so valuable in so many different ways.

The links to support Youth Talk and the Haven at Bridgewater are both below and I am so grateful to you for reading this far and considering choosing one of them to donate to for my birthday running efforts. Thank you!