News & Events
Celebrating carers
October
I love being part of the 'Care and Support West' Awards Evening. (I know the poster opposite is an old one!). I feel strongly that care and carers are too often undervalued.
Carers provide crucial support. Family carers save the state a significant amount of money and yet the support they receive is pretty patchy.
I've been actively involved in caring for various relatives - including my parents following a serious car accident after a drink driver collided with them. I've also helped care for close relatives with cancer, dementia and mental health problems. Despite the challenges, I've found it a privilege to be able to help a loved one - and can't wait to celebrate the contribution of outstanding carers.
401 Marathon Man
Ben ran 401 marathons in 401 consecutive days.
No-one had done this before. He's a legend and a really lovely guy. I've got a dodgy ankle at the moment so running is a no no but I came across some pictures of times when I joined Ben on his Bristol runs. He completed his crazy challenge last year and he's gone on to launch the 401 Foundation. He wants to keep the running ball rolling so if you like what he does - now's the time to check out his site: http://www.the401challenge.co.uk/
His motivation comes from his personal journey. He went through a tough time growing up and was bullied. But he discovered a passion for running and wants to tackle the issue of bullying. He's raised hundreds of thousands for charity and done a lot of work with children and young people. He sold all his stuff and quit his job to achieve this. He's an inspiring guy and through my job, I spoke to many people who've been helped by his honesty and positivity.
Vitality Bath Half
What a day! Chilly but not as freezing as the previous year. Had the job of co-commentating, cheering everyone on and getting the race started.
I've been part of the Vitality Bath Half team for a couple of years - it's a fun, fast race and attracts some well known faces... Sharron Davies MBE and Stu Hooper (former Bath Rugby Captain).
Always an inspiring and moving event...
Need my ankle to get better so I can raise my game :)