A couple of years ago, running five miles would have been completely unthinkable for me. I was living with ME/CFS — and for three very hard years, I really struggled with the day-to-day — let alone jogging up hills.

Last year, I finally came out the other side. And now? I'm running the Rainow Fell Race on 9th May! It's five miles and it's blimmin' hilly!

Training is going well, and it is elating getting up in the hills again. But I'm not just doing this for the endorphins! I want to raise money to fund bursary places on the Printmaking for Health course at Hope Press, the programme I've developed from my experience of living with and recovering from chronic illness.

Printmaking for Health is a 10-week creative course designed specifically for people living with chronic health conditions — ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, Long Covid and more. It's gentle, flexible, and built around the reality of fluctuating energy. No pressure – just creativity, community, and a calm space to get into flow.

Here's what one recent graduate had to say:

"I am no longer the only chronically ill person in a group — I am surrounded by people who really get it. When I walk into the room I may not always be feeling my best, but the class gives me two hours just to be me and have a go. I always walk out feeling so much more positive than when I walked in. The course has been invaluable for my mental health as well as my physical health. I would encourage anybody to give it a go — the rewards are huge."

I'm running the course three times a year and I'll already booked for April and most of the September places. Demand for this is high.

The course costs £360 per person, and the bursary fund exists so that nobody misses out because of money. People pay what they can afford. If you're able to make a donation, every pound you give goes directly to funding a place for someone who needs it.

£360 = one full bursary. One person. Ten weeks. Real change.

Over the year, around 12 people take part, and my aim is to raise £2,500 in total through a range of energy-positive, community-focused events. This run is the first.

I know firsthand how isolating chronic illness can be, and how much it helps to have something creative and community-based to get through the difficult days. That's exactly what this course offers — and I want as many people as possible to be able to access it.

So please — cheer me on, share this page, and donate if you can. Let's get some people into the studio! ️