Social Prescribers... Who are they and what do they do?

You’ve probably heard us mention social prescribers before, but what do they really do? WIth telephone appointments with the social prescribers available to book from 5th June, we thought we’d give an in depth description of the services they offer…

Social prescribers are a group of very lovely people that are here to support you with any non-medical challenges that could be having an effect on your health and wellbeing. They are here to listen to your concerns, find out what is important to you and support you in overcoming these challenges. They may link you in with other services or groups to support you with the issues you have identified.

Reasons to get a referral to the social prescribers:

• Social isolation and loneliness

• Creativity, hobbies and learning new skills

• Healthy lifestyles and physical activity

• Managing long term health conditions

• Housing issues

• Maintaining independence

• Money issues

• Mental health difficulties/challenges

• Refugee support

• Unemployment

• Volunteering carers

• New parents, particularly mothers

• Families (children, relationships)

• Bereavement

The social prescribers can also offer advice on:

• Health (pain management, long covid etc.)

• Employment

• Asylum processes and appeals

• Benefits

• Immigration

• Legal matters/disputes

• Home environment (including DIY and fire safety)

• Education and training

• Domestic abuse/violence

• Sexual abuse

• Judicial issues

• Addictions (drugs, alcohol etc.)

• Transport

A new service the social prescribers are offering now is on the day telephone appointments, you can call our reception team and they can book you in to receive a call back from the on duty social prescriber the same day (calls after 3pm will receive a call back the following morning). If you have a simple query, they aim to answer your question there and then. If it is a more complex conversation, it will be passed on to another member of the social prescribing team, for ongoing support! These calls exclude mental health crisis’ and children under 16 years old.

The on duty social prescriber can help patients who call the surgery with:

• Caring responsibilities

• Dementia support

• Requiring aids, adaptions and equipment in the home

• Housing issues

• Benefits and money concerns

• Loneliness and isolation

• Low mood and anxiety

• Employment/volunteering

• Finding a group or club to join

• Needing food bank vouchers

You don’t need to see a GP to be referred to the social prescribers, you can self-refer by calling or emailing

Job Vacancy - Finance and Business Assistant

We have a new and unique job vacancy at St Wulfstan Surgery. We are looking for a Finance and Business Assistant. This is a brand new and exciting post to join a leading, innovative and compassionate team at St Wulfstan Surgery.

This is a newly created role designed to help coordinate all aspects of practice finances and business, optimising efficiency and financial performance ensuring the practice achieves its long-term strategic objectives. The salary will be dependent on relevant experience.

The deadline for applications is 3rd July 2023

It's cervical screening awareness week!

This week is cervical screening awareness week! Cervical screening (also known as your smear test) is a free health test that helps prevent cervical cancer. It checks for a virus called high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and, if you have HPV, cervical cell changes (abnormal cells).

It is your choice whether to go for cervical screening, but we encourage everybody with a cervix to attend when they are invited by their GP!

In the UK, you are automatically invited for a smear test if you are

• Aged 25-64

• Registered as female with a GP surgery

You may get your first invite up to 6 months before you turn 25.

Did you know, 1 in 4 people don’t attend their cervical screening test!

Frequently asked questions about cervical screening:

Does it hurt to have a smear?

It should not hurt to have your smear test, although it may feel uncomfortable. If you are worried about the smear test causing you pain, have a chat to your GP or practice nurse and they can explain ways they can make the test easier for you.

What is the smear test looking for?

A cervical screening test is looking for abnormal cell changes in the cervix. Cervical cell changes are common, and often improve naturally. But sometimes these changes need treatment because there is a risk they may develop into cancer.

How do you prepare for a smear test?

You do not need to do anything to prepare for a smear test, you may find it helpful to wear loose and comfortable clothing that you can remove easily.
You will usually be advised by your GP practice before your smear to plan your appointment for a day you do not have a period, and to avoid vaginal medications, lubricants and creams for 2 days before the test.
You may want to take a panty liner with you for you smear test, as you may experience some light spotting afterwards for a short period of time.

Should I have a smear test if I am LGBTQ+?

Cervical screening is for anyone who has a cervix, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The main risk factor for cervical cancer is HPV. HPV can affect all sexual orientations and anyone who has ever been sexually active. If you are lesbian or bisexual you are still at risk and should have screening.

If you are a trans man or non-binary person and have a cervix, you should have screening too. But, you may not be sent an invitation if you are registered as male with your GP. It is very important to tell your GP that you have a cervix and want to have cervical screening, so that they can arrange regular tests for you!

You do not need cervical screening if you are a trans woman or were assigned male at birth.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust (Jo’s Trust) has detailed further information about cervical screening for trans and non-binary people, this includes information about having a smear test, trans-specific clinics and support.

You can read more about what the results of cervical screening mean on one of our previous posts, here:

WHEN YOU SHOULD BE INVITED FOR CERVICAL SCREENING

This is based on your age, as follows:

• Under 25 years of age: up to 6 months before you turn 25

• 25 to 49 years of age: every 3 years

• 50 to 64 years of age: every 5 years

• 65+ years of age: Only if 1 of your last 3 tests was abnormal

If you have previously received an invite letter but not yet booked in please call the surgery on 01926 810939 to make an appointment.

Men's Health Week 2023 (12-18 June)

Between the 12th and 18th June, the world acknowledges Men’s Health Week 2023. Organised by the Men’s Health Forum, it aims to raise awareness of preventable health problems that disproportionally affect men and encourage them to gain the courage to tackle their issues.

This year’s theme for Men’s Health Week is “Men’s Health and the Internet”, this emphasises the impact of technology and social media on mental health.

According to the Mental Health Foundation:

“Approximately 1-in-8 men have a common mental health problem such as anxiety, stress, or depression. When left unattended, these problems can worsen and be detrimental to those affected. This is highlighted in current statistics: for example, in the UK, 3 out of 4 suicides are men. Furthermore, suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45. These statistics underline the importance of removing the stigma surrounding men’s mental health, helping men reach out, talk about their problems and seek treatment. According to recent statistics, 40% of men won’t talk about their mental health with their friends or family.”

It’s no secret that a stigma still exists regarding men’s mental health, with some men sadly still feeling uncomfortable talking about their problems, meaning many men suffer in silence. With every new awareness campaign, the topic is becoming more prevalent; but there is still a need to help men feel comfortable enough to speak out about their mental health.

It is not healthy to ignore your feelings, it’s easy to say “ah it’s just a bad day” and try to sweep your emotions under the carpet, but that emotional dust will continue to build up. Here are some of the common signs and symptoms associated with mental illness:

• Feeling angry or irritable and showing aggressiveness to your friends, family, colleagues and even strangers

• Noticeable changes in your mood

• Finding it difficult to sleep

• Avoiding social events and seeing your friends

• Feeling tired all the time and having little energy

• Depending on alcohol or drugs

• Ignoring personal hygiene

Men often feel embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about their mental health, but the bravest thing you can do is tackle the issue before it becomes a bigger problem. You are not alone!

If you are really struggling with your mental health, contact your GP - we can help!

Congratulations Dr Hannah Lawrence-Smith!

We are delighted to announce Dr Hannah Lawrence-Smith has passed her final GP exams, meaning she will be a fully fledged GP in August 2023. And the great news is, she has agreed to stay at St Wulfstan Surgery as a fully qualified GP from August onwards!

Well done Dr Hannah Lawrence-Smith, and she becomes the first GP to complete their GP training at St Wulfstan Surgery.

And now a few words from Dr Lawrence-Smith:

“As my final year of GP training comes to an end I have been reflecting on what a positive experience it has been. I have been truly humbled by the kindness of both the patients and the staff.

St Wulfstans has provided an excellent training program with unquestionable support. It is an environment where I have grown and learnt whilst helping to provide excellent quality care. I am so grateful to have been able to be part of such an amazing and inspirational team which has shaped the GP I will be.

I am also extremely grateful to all of my patients who have been part of my journey.
Not only have I met some lovely people but over 100 of you were kind enough to agree to be recorded in times of vulnerability, and I can not thank you all enough for that.
I have now passed my exams and look forward to starting in August as a Salaried GP and continuing to look after you and your families.”

— Dr Hannah-Lawrence-Smith

Congratulations to our giveaway winner!

You may remember our giveaway in association with Everest Fit for Mental Health Awareness Week, we thank you all for your participation and your comments regarding dealing with anxiety and wellness tips were amazing! We have picked a winner; and a massive congratulations goes to Mark Parry, who has won a 3 months full gym membership at Everest Fit Gym & Wellbeing Centre!

Mark shared a few words as to why he entered:

“I entered the competition because I have been dealing with PTSD for some time and find the best way for me to control my symptoms is to exercise, meditation and do yoga. I am very grateful for this opportunity to do this with Everest fitness”

We hope this giveaway has raised awareness of mental health and opened up the conversations between you all about anxiety; we will keep talking about it until the stigma of being open about mental health is a thing of the past!

Remember, you are not alone! Talk to a trusted member of family or close friend, read our previous post about Mental Health Awareness Week for more information, and remember you can always contact your GP if you are struggling with your mental health and need help.

🤧 It's Hay Fever Season Again! 🤧

The sunshine has arrived - hooray! But for those of us with hay fever it can be bittersweet.

Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen and the symptoms occur or worsen in the Spring and Summer when pollen counts are higher. This can result in sneezing, coughing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy or watery eyes and an itchy throat.

We often get calls about hay fever at this time of year, but recent changes mean that most treatments for hay fever can now be purchased over the counter at your local pharmacy, meaning your pharmacist is often best placed to help.

The treatment of hay fever normally consists of antihistamine tablets, antihistamine eye drops and steroid nasal sprays. If required you can use a combination.

Anti-histamine tablets/syrup

There are several different types available from your pharmacy. If you try one which doesn’t help, then it is worth trying an alternative, unfortunately this often involves some degree of trial and error. Some anti-histamine’s such as Piriton (chlorphenamine maleate) can make you feel drowsy, so there are non-drowsy preparations available, such as cetirizine.

If, despite trying different anti-histamines, your symptoms persist then consider adding in eye drops, or a nasal steroid spray, or both.

Anti-histamine Eye Drops

These can be purchased from the pharmacy and work well where itchy and runny eyes are more problematic. The drug is called sodium cromoglicate.

Nasal Steroid Spray

These can work very effectively helping control your symptoms of hay fever and can be used in conjunction with the above treatments. Nasal steroid sprays can take days or weeks to reach their fullest effect so they are worth persevering with.

What Next?

If the above treatments, when used in combination, have failed to solve the problem, and you have given them a reasonable period of time to work, then please give us a call to discuss further with one of our Clinical Pharmacists.

National Patient Participation Group Awareness week!

By joining a Patient Participation Group you can do your part to save a general practice that is still accessible to all. You will provide first-hand support by acting as a voice and an educator within your community, you will alleviate pressure on your practice and shape the primary care services that will hopefully serve you and your family for generations to come.

What is a patient participation group (PPG)?

A PPG is a group of people who are patients of the surgery and want to help it work as well as it can for patients, doctors, and staff. The group meets to discuss service issues, new innovations and patient experience to support in improving services.

Reasons to join a PPG:

• You have been to the surgery as a patient, parent, carer or friend

• Your experiences matter and you can bring different ideas to the surgery to help us treat patients better or to improve what we do in some way

• You will gain a better understanding of the NHS, and gather feedback from other patients

Objectives of the PPG:

• To be a communication link between the surgery management and patients, for non-clinical issues

• To be the representative voice of patients to the surgery management

• To be a consultative body for two-way communication with the practice management

• To assist in identifying issues of concern to patients

• To be a non-confrontational forum for individuals, either anonymously, or in a manner that upholds patient confidentiality

• To support and comment upon suggestions, feedback and complaints. To be a focus for support activities such as transport

• Improving links to target groups e.g. young people, older people, and carers

Upcoming Patient Participation Group Meeting:

The next PPG for St Wulfstan Surgery is on Friday 30th June, at the Community Hub at Galanos House in Southam at 7:00pm-8:30pm.

If you are interested in attending a meeting or would like to join the PPG, please contact our Assistant Operations Manager, Tanya by email!

Upcoming events in Southam

WHAT TO DO WITH YOURSELVES ON ANOTHER BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND IN SOUTHAM? READ ON TO FIND OUT!

Citizen’s advice is on at The Grange Hall every Friday morning, find out more on their website https://www.casouthwarwickshire.org.uk/southam/

Saturday sees the return of the annual Napton Dog, Horse and Pony Show, kicking off at 9am, visit their Facebook page to find out more!

Also on Saturday morning is the Dallas Burston Polo Club Park Run, also kicking off at 9am. It is completely free to participate but you much register beforehand, visit their ParkRun website for more information

On Monday, it is Family Fun Day at the recreation grounds in Southam, starting at 12pm! There will be free rides, lots of stalls and a fancy dress competition!

There is also some good stuff on next week too! Children’s Fun Day in Hunningham on Friday 2nd June from 1:30pm

Napton opens up its gardens again on Sunday 4th June from 2pm!

After the weekend’s fun, why not try out a FREE pilates taster session with Diane at The Grange Hall?

Mental Health Awareness Week Giveaway, in partnership with Everest Fitness

We have partnered with the wonderful, local business Everest Fitness, to offer the giveaway of a 3 month FREE full gym membership. We are doing this to help promote conversation about how we can all do things to help improve our mental wellness.

“At Everest fitness, we have two beautiful air-conditioned studios with excellent ventilation. Our main studio offers over 40 weekly classes such as BodyPump, BodyCombat and BodyBalance, with Yoga, Pilates, Glo Dance, Step, Aerobics, Meditation and more. Our second studio is a designated spin room with 18 indoor cycles. We have a fabulous range of classes from beginner to ultimate spin and virtual spin.
We believe exercise is for everyone and should be fun!

Enjoy a good workout with friends for a social and fun experience - including spin classes, sessions for teenagers who want to add to their core fitness, building muscle tone and strength, and low impact exercise for the older population who want to maintain/improve their muscular strength, stability and flexibility.

We now offer many of the classes as an online option - this is where you can join in our classes at home. This option is perfect for dark winter evenings, working from home, childcare issues and many more benefits.”

How to Enter

You can enter via Facebook and/or Instagram

Facebook

• Step 1: Like our page, St Wulfstan Surgery

• Step 2: Share our post

• Step 3: Comment on the post with your top tip for dealing with anxiety or improving your wellness!

Instagram

• Step 1: Follow our page, @stwulfstan

• Step 2: Share the post to your story

• Step 3: Comment on the post with your top tip for dealing with anxiety or improving your wellness!

Do this on both social platforms and get TWO entries!

Entries close ONE WEEK today on Friday 26th May 11pm and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 30th May, after the bank holiday, so get liking and sharing!

GOOD LUCK!!

Mental Health Awareness Week

the theme for this year’s mental health awareness week is anxiety!

We all experience anxiety from time to time, but sometimes it can get out of control and become a mental health problem.

Lots of things can make us feel anxious; upcoming exams, relationships, starting a new job (or losing one) and big life events to name just a few. We can also experience feelings of anxiety when it comes to things like money, and not being able to meet our basic needs - like heating our homes and buying food.

Did you know, anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems we can experience. According to the Mental Health Foundation:

“In a recent mental health survey we carried out around stress, anxiety and hopelessness over personal finances, a quarter of adults said they felt so anxious that it stopped them from doing the things they want to do some or all of the time. Six in ten adults feel this way, at least some of the time. On a positive note, anxiety can be made easier to manage.”

If we don’t know how to cope with our feelings of anxiety, they can get out of control and stop us from doing the things we want or need to do. The more often we feel anxious, and the longer we feel it for, the more of a problem it can become. Dealing with anxiety can be hard, but here are some tips to help try to manage those messy, scary feelings:

1. Focus on your breathing - the 4-7-8 breathing technique can help you control anxious thoughts, close your mouth and breathe in through your nose, counting to 4 in your head, hold your breath and count for 7, then breathe out through your mouth, making a whoosh sound while counting to 8. Repeat for 4 cycles.

2. Get moving - exercise is a good way of dealing with anxiety. Go for a run or a swim, but it doesn’t have to be vigorous; try some gentle stretches or yoga - anything that requires a little bit of concentration to take your mind away from your thoughts.

3. Keep a diary - It is important not to ignore your worries. Try keeping a record of what’s happening in your life and how it is affecting you, this might help you figure out what is triggering your anxiety. Having a designated ‘worry time’ where you write down all your anxious thoughts can help you manage your thoughts too.

4. Challenge your thoughts - anxiety can lead us to overthink things massively - this is called ‘rumination’ and is not helpful. If you catch yourself ruminating - write down the thought, and then try to write down something to challenge it. Is what you’re thinking realistic? Challenging your thoughts can stop you from being overwhelmed by them.

5. Get support for money worries - money worries are a common cause for anxiety. If you’re worried about not being able to pay your bills, or feel like you are drowning in debt, seek help! Make sure you are claiming all the government supports you are entitled to, and visit your local Citizens Advice Centre to get all the help possible.

6. Spend time in nature - we know this has a positive effect on our mental health, it can help us to feel calmer and less stressed. If you can go for a walk in the woods or meadows for an hour or longer, you can really immerse yourself in nature. Don’t worry if you are too busy for this - tending some flowers on your windowsill can still give you your nature fix!

7. Connect with people and talk about how you feel - anxiety can feel very lonely. Talking to people about it can help! Spend time with friends or meet people through local activities - sometimes just saying what is worrying you out loud to somebody can take away it’s power over you.

8. Try to get some quality sleep or rest - this can be hard when your head is full of worries, but there are things that can help. If your thoughts keep you awake, write them down in your diary, if this doesn’t help, get us and have a drink (nothing with caffeine) and wait until you feel more tired to try to go back to bed.

9. Try to eat a healthy diet - anxiety can make you want to reach to the snack cupboard or for an alcoholic beverage, while these things are okay in moderation - it is important that we don’t turn to unhealthy food and drink as a way to cope. this will only make things worse in the long term. It’s equally important that we don’t turn to smoking or recreational drug use.

10. Contact your GP - if you’ve tried all of the above, and your anxiety is still through the roof, you can contact us and we can offer you support and point you in the direction of expert care, for example: - SilverCloud is an online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme which allows you to complete therapy in your own time and at your own pace. It offers secure and immediate access to a range of mental health and wellbeing programmes which you work through, using your computer, tablet, or mobile phone. There is a SilverCloud module called Space From Anxiety, that the GP may refer you to.

Remember, you are not alone! Every one of us has felt anxiety at some point or another, and help is always available!

Happy International Nurses Day!

Rachel Hughes, one of our nursing team

International Nurses Day is upon us, and who better to shed some light on what it’s like to be a nurse, than one of our own! Rachel explains:

I joined the Nursing Team at St Wulfstan back in September, coming from a mixed background of acute and community nursing; during my Nurse training there was this view that to work in practice nursing you had to a) be nearing retirement, b) want an easy life, and c) have no problem losing clinical skills… Well, I’m constantly learning, it’s definitely not easy, and unless there are some dramatic changes, I’m probably a few decades off retirement... So what do we do every day?!

Quite often, your Nurse or Health Care Assistant will be the first medical person you speak to in years – you might come in for an NHS health check after 5 years of trying desperately to avoid coming to the Doctor, and we’ll give you an MOT, along with some diet and lifestyle advice… And then you’ll mention that one issue that’s been niggling at you just a little bit, but you don’t want to talk to the doctor because you’ve never had a day off sick in your life… We’ll do our best to point you in the right direction, whether it’s reminding you to get your eyes checked regularly, asking you to book in for a nursing appointment, or recommending you speak to one of our GPs.

Maybe you’re anxious about coming in for a smear because, well- it’s a smear! Your nurse may well be the one to reassure you that it’s totally normal – we are almost all women, after all, and we know, it’s not the nicest experience of your life - but we’ll also tell you why that screening programme is so SO important, and offer to get you booked in. And when you’re there, we will probably acknowledge the awkwardness, put you at ease, and make you feel as comfortable as possible… And we may even make you laugh while we’re at it. But while we’re doing that we’re also listening to see if you’re having any symptoms that are out of the ordinary, looking at your medications to see if your pill could be causing you to have some irregular bleeding, and checking that everything looks healthy ‘down there’ – and on that note, I promise, we really don’t mind if you haven’t ‘prepared’.

I’ve always loved that nurses have this reputation of being lovely and friendly, but we also have a lot of knowledge, and have to do a lot of training to be allowed to sit in front of you and give you medical advice. From knowing how to give you an injection, to being able to treat an infected wound, or helping you manage a chronic disease to give you the best quality of life possible. There is a lot going on behind the scenes in order to make sure we can look after our patients properly, support our Doctors where needed, and refer to other teams when necessary, too.

We can’t make everything better, but we’ll do our absolute best to find someone who can!

So, Happy International Nurses Day – we’re pretty proud to be Nurses, really!"

Exciting New Services @ St Wulfstan!

At St Wulfstan Surgery we are passionate about delivering our patients the best possible levels of care and service. We are proud to have been rated by our patients as one of the best Surgeries in England (well number 68 to be exact!). But we want to keep improving and evolving. As such we are really excited to share some service improvements which we hope you will benefit from. Some of these are given below and we hope to release more details in the coming weeks.

New GP's

We are really pleased to be recruiting 2 excellent new additional GP’s in August, stay tuned for details!

New Clinical Pharmacist Support

We will be welcoming Mina and Lucinda as our regular practice Pharmacists from next week. They are great at helping with any medication problems or queries you may have and are often better placed than GP’s to answer any questions about medication. When booking an appointment our Receptionists may advise an appointment is better suited to a Pharmacist than a GP. You will also be able to book Pharmacist appointments online.

Improved booking system

If you are invited via text message for a regular annual blood test, asthma review or diabetes review you may notice your invitation will now let you book an appointment directly via the text message. We will be rolling this feature out over the next month or so which will hopefully make booking appointments even easier.

Duty Social Prescribing Link Worker

Through our collaboration with Warwickshire East Primary Care Network, our patients will now have access to a Duty Social Prescribing Link Worker. They are able to speak to patients on the same day with any problems around care at home, financial concerns, social problems, loneliness and can even help with employment issues. These appointments can be booked via our Reception Team and will be starting next month.

We also have a few other exciting additional services becoming available over the next month or so stay tuned! Feel free to register your email below to stay up to date with our weekly newsletter.

There is no better time than now to get those bike's out of storage!

Thinking about getting your bike out of storage? Or maybe you want to get into cycling for the first time - either way - Warwickshire County Council has lots of reasons why there is no better time than the present to get on two wheels!

As we move into the warmer Spring and Summer months, with more hours of daylights and those sub-zero temperatures fading into the past, the Council is encouraging residents to dust off their bikes and explore the benefits of an active and eco-friendly travel lifestyle. Perks of cycling include reducing vehicle costs for fuel and maintenance, improving physical and mental wellbeing, and benefiting the environment!

Did you know, it’s often the journeys of 5 miles or less that have the greatest negative impact on the environment and our finances? Turns out these are also the easiest to replace with a cycling alternative, whether it be the school pick up, the commute to work, or popping into town for shopping and socialising.

Not appealing to you yet? Well how about this! Throughout May, Warwickshire County Council is supporting Love to Ride’s Bike Month Challenge, which aims to get businesses, communities and individuals to take up cycling for work, health and leisure. Getting involved is easy, with just 4 simple steps:

1. Download the Love to Ride app and register - it’s completely free!

2. Ride you bike for at least 10 minutes - even a ride around the park counts!

3. Log your ride online or do it automatically by connecting to an app

4. Spread the bike love by encouraging others to join

Do these 4 simple steps, and you could be in with a chance of winning great prizes, including cash!

Mark Ryder, Strategic Director for Communities at Warwickshire County Council, said:

“The benefits of active travel, particularly travelling by bike, are huge, both for the individual and for our wider environment.

For many of us, it might seem difficult to know where to start, as travelling by car has become so engrained in our daily lives. However, we are committed to supporting residents to realise that they can start their active travel adventure by switching just one car journey every week to an active alternative such as cycling, and we hope that the improving weather, longer days and the Bike Month Challenge with Love to Ride will offer residents a fun and engaging way to get into cycling and encourage their friends, family and colleagues to do the same.”

Start your cycling adventure today by clicking the button below. Now if you don’t mind, I’m off to get my bike out of the shed!

Congratulations Tanya on completing The London Marathon

A massive, massive congratulations to our very own Tanya for completing The London Marathon on Sunday for her chosen charity Muscular Dystrophy UK!

Sunday 23rd April marked the big day for 50,000 people who had been training for the London Marathon, 1 of those 50,000 included our very own Tanya Unit, Assistant Operation’s Manager here at St Wulfstan Surgery.

Tanya chose to raise money for charity Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity very close to the hearts of the St Wulfstan family, having heard about the charity from friend and colleague, Julie Davies, who’s son, Rhys, lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Tanya quoted:

“Their family is inspiring, they are so positive.  

It has been a roller-coaster of emotions. I have met some amazing people on this journey. It really has shown the generosity of people.”

Tanya had been hard at work training for the London Marathon, and her dedication has paid off. In addition to completing a gruelling 24-hour bikeathon, she also organised a successful charity race night and auction, raising an impressive £7000 and counting.

Tanya completed the London Marathon in an amazing 5 hours 17 minutes, pushing through mental and physical barriers she didn’t even know existed! To top it off, she turned up at work 9am Monday morning!

Well done Tanya, we are all so proud of you!

You can still donate to Tanya’s JustGiving page, it’s not too late!