I'm taking on the London Marathon

Firstly, A big thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page, please share, and if able, any donations would mean a great deal to me and our fantastic inclusive projects.

My name is Chazz, and like most people, there have been times in life which has been challenging and recently has been one of those times. Growing up, I've always advocated for the 'less heard', but that doesn't mean they don't have something important to say. I love to help people; seeing the joy in people's faces, seeing people overcome challenges and spreading laughter makes me happy. I always thought that one day I would share this with my children.

I finally found a man I adore and love, we bought our home, and when the time was right to start a family, nothing happened. On 25th November 2021, 6 weeks before my 36th birthday, I had a blood test, and the doctor confirmed that my SFH (Stimulating Folic Hormone) should be 15, and instead mine was 118. This meant that It would be very near impossible to conceive (nor would I be eligable for IVF), and that she believes I had gone into early menopause! I couldn't process what she was saying, all I've ever wanted was to own my own home, be a wife and to have children, and now at 35, she was telling me my body has taken my dream away. The future I always thought I'd have had gone, so many emotions: failure, sadness, heartbreak and grief, to name a few. For 5 months, I was in a pretty bad place and If I'm honest, I felt like I lost my identity. Usually if I want something, I work hard and make it happen and yet the one thing I wanted more than anything, there was nothing I can do and it's out of my control.

One day I decided to try and take my life back. I am always grateful for all the wonderful things life has to offer and although the future will look different from what I dreamed of, I know there will still be a future that I will love.

I'm not sharing this as a sob story as there are people who faces struggles and barriers on a daily basis. Which leads me to, "my why?"

I decided to use the next 6 months as healing and to try and find myself again, that strength and mental resilience that I once had. That's why I accepted one of my greatest challenges yet! I entered the London Marathon ballot and I was stunned to be accepted. Now I want to use my journey, this challenge, to help raise funds for our local charity Eastleigh Youth and Community Trust, in particular, two incredible projects Cycles4all and Sensory4all.

I am thrilled to be the Project Coordinator at Pavilion on the Park. Being surrounded by positivity, drive and support is what makes this charity and team stand out. Our sole focus is to give back to all areas of our community.

Cycles4all is a truly remarkable project. We have a large fleet of bikes, most of which are specially adapted. This means people who have lived with restrictions due to limitations or disability can feel the joy of a bike ride, the freedom and the breeze against their face. This project reaches the whole of our community and opens another world which promotes physical and mental well-being.

Sensory4all is just magical, I remember the first time I saw this project in all its glory, I was stunned! The instance calming effect was powerful. The opportunity to play, learn, explore and feel stimulated is so unique. What makes this so special is it caters for babies, children, and is also perfect for people with physical and learning difficulties. The specialist equipment and attention to detail in each session is extroadinary.

As a small local charity we rely on funding and grants to keep these much needed community projects open, however the pandemic has been tough and the funding pots became smaller which has meant these projects aren't able to expand to reach their full potential.

This is where I need you and your support. ❤️All monies raised will keep these much needed services running and to continue to flourish.