Half marathon for Paws & Pause

Hi! My name is Shannon - I work at Paws & Pause dog daycare and I’m fundraising for them to support their mission to help people in recovery, which is something very close to me (read more below!)- They’re a dog daycare in south London who run training programmes for people in recovery from mental illness and substance abuse disorders which support them on their journey back to the workplace.

After the Covid lockdown, I was struggling on my own journey with confidence and mental health, and a friend who worked at the centre recommended me to volunteer there to build back some routine in my life and explore new options. So I did. To start with, I was very unsure it would be the place for me, but the team made me feel so welcome and free to be myself, and I shortly realised it was exactly where I needed to be.

I actually remember coming home after my first session there and gushing to my partner, speculating about whether or not I would one day actually able to work there!

3 (or 4?!!!) years later, I’m still here but in no way in the same capacity. My time at Paws & Pause taught me the vital confidence, self belief and communication skills I’d need to keep building a better life for myself and one day I (very cheekily lol) made a meeting with co-founder Grace to present my vision to her on the brand’s social media and marketing strategy.. After working part time and then full time at the daycare as an assistant, I’m now the marketing manager and daycare manager to the peckham site.

In my time at Paws & Pause, I have been supported and uplifted by some of the kindest, most empathetic people I will probably ever meet. And I’m lucky enough to now have the opportunity to try and do the same for others who come through our trainee programme.

Im running this half marathon to try and raise money for the trainee programme at Paws & Pause, which helps people every day who are at different stages of recovery, on their journey to education, employment and self belief. I have chosen the Seven Sister’s half because it will be a big challenge for me, but also because I feel the rocky, undulating cliffs are a kind of metaphor for the ups, downs and ultimate achievement you can feel in recovery (hopefully I’m not getting too cheesy now)!