Willberry recently caught up with Jon, who is embarking on a mighty challenge for Hannah.

When did you first hear about Hannah’s story? 

I was aware of Hannah’s story from I believe nearly the very beginning, although only from a distance at first. My partner, in her younger days, did a lot of eventing in the area, along with her siblings, and the family still keep horses now. If I remember rightly, something appeared on my social media feed years ago - possibly through one of their connections commenting about Hannah - and that was when I started reading more about Hannah’s incredibly brave journey while she was still alive, and the legacy she was already creating. Since then, I’ve also seen Willberry Wonder Pony at various events, which has always stayed with me. Then, if I fast forward a few years, it feels a little like fate that I ended up working alongside Matt Clark, who has sadly had his own battles with osteosarcoma. Seeing Matt and others take on such an incredible charity cycling challenge in 2024, and feeling the passion and support behind Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony, really spurred me on. Then when our Wells office chose Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony as the charity we wanted to support this year, it felt like an absolute given that I should finally do something myself - to give something back and help raise awareness.

What are you most looking forward to, and what’s keeping you up at night? 

I’ve already had the privilege of seeing such incredible support from family, friends, colleagues and clients, and that has been genuinely uplifting. The kind messages, encouragement and generous donations have meant a great deal. In a world that can sometimes feel full of difficult and negative news, seeing people come together to support others is a powerful reminder for me of the good that exists. There is something very special about people uniting to help those facing challenges far greater than their own. I’m also really looking forward (hopefully!) to getting to the Bath Half on the Sunday, crossing that finish line, and meeting some of the other Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony supporters and runners. If I’m honest, what keeps me up at night is probably the thought of letting people down. It’s quite a difficult challenge to train for because there isn’t really a true “dress rehearsal” for it. You can prepare as well as you can, but until you are in it, you don’t fully know how your body and mind will respond. That said, I keep coming back to the same thought: however hard this feels, it is temporary. For those affected by osteosarcoma, and for families like Hannah’s, the pain and heartache are on an entirely different scale - and for many, it did not lead to the outcome they so desperately wanted. That perspective stays with me.

How have you been preparing (physically and mentally!)? 

As you can imagine, there has been quite a lot of running involved! Like many people, I have a busy family life and work life, so one of the biggest challenges has actually been finding the time to train consistently. To make it work, I’ve had to get my body used to running later in the evenings, which has taken some adjusting. I also have to say a huge thank you to my amazing partner, Samantha Gratton, who has been an incredible support throughout. She has been a real rock for me, and has also kept everything at home running when I’ve been out training. Like most things in life, this kind of challenge may look individual on the surface, but it is absolutely a team effort. At the time of writing, I’m just finishing the most intense part of the training, which has involved multiple back-to-back long distance runs. It has definitely been physically challenging (and at times very sore). Mentally, there have been difficult moments too - especially getting out in the wet, dark and cold after a long day at work. But each time, I come back to the same things: Hannah, the charity, the people affected by osteosarcoma, and the incredible support behind this challenge. Having that sense of purpose has helped enormously.

What an amazing challenge Jon is tackling. We can't wait to cheer him, and the rest of #TeamWillberry, through the finish line of Bath Half.