I am fundraising for LionHeart & Dementia UK by running the London Marathon 2025... I don't particularly know why as I am not a runner and it is certainly going to be a challenge, but I hope to make it across that famous line! Any donations to either charity would be much appreciated!

My story:

In 2020 I stepped on a rollercoaster, like many of us, with no idea what’s to come. I had to step up, with no business knowledge, to take more control of the company (Blanking Associates) through the strange new times. Then on the 25th December we heartbreakingly lost my beautiful Nan & co-founder of the company.

Things have been a whirlwind of ups and downs ever since then, leading to the pit of 2023 when due to the slow market we eventually had to make some hard decisions at the company, including redundancies.

I took up parkrun in this time to try and help my mental health, and for some reason that led me to getting a space on the London Marathon... despite not running further than 5km before.

In 2024 we also sadly lost Granddad Lawrence to dementia just before our wedding.

So I am here raising money for Dementia UK for my Nan Doris & for Granddad Lawrence. Along with LionHeart, who if it was not for my amazing support network, probably would have been a major part of my life.

I want to thank every single person involved in my journey to date & if you can donate to either charity, I would be truly grateful.

Thanks for reading! Jess Burgess (Barrett).

The Charities:

- Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nursing charity that is there for the whole family, working towards a day where no one has to face dementia alone. Our specialist nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide life-changing advice and support, to anyone affected by dementia, whenever it is needed.

- LionHeart is the charity for RICS professionals, past and present, and their families. We’ve helped thousands of surveyors and their families for over 100 years, and we plan to be here for many more. Our services are available to every member of RICS and their families, from APC candidates right through your career and into retirement. Donations are absolutely vital to our work. We help people just like you, who happen to have hit a tough time in their lives, by providing financial help, work-related support, counselling or legal advice.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.