Peak District 100KM Trail Ultra

On 3rd July 2021, I'm running my first trail race, a 100KM ultramarathon in the Peak District. It's a long way but shortly before lockdown I ran a half marathon so this seemed like the natural next step... The route centres around Bakewell and will involve running from dawn to dusk (and probably beyond).

I’m using the opportunity to raise some money towards the refurbishment of St Barnabas’ Church Dalston. It’s a place very close to my heart professionally and personally and I’m a member of the church there. It was even host to my lockdown wedding:

Having previously been abandoned for several decades, the project aims to bring the Grade 2* listed building back into full and wide-ranging use. It's already an important community hub having hosted a theatre school, dance and music events, a local youth club and Hackney Winter Night Shelter alongside the church's activities. The initial stages will be funded by friends of the church, with the aim of securing Heritage Lottery Funding for the more major works.

Critic Ian Nairn called it ‘the best church of its time in London’. Built at the turn of the 20th century, its massive brick volume feels like a mid century industrial building. It’s architect Charles Reilly was also a significant figure in contemporary architectural education - he called St Barnabas’ ‘the building I should like to be remembered by’. All-in-all certainly a building worth saving.

You can read more about the building here and more about the project Crowdfunder here.

All costs associated with the race will be covered by me so any donations will go straight to the project.