Frome police officer runs a mile every day for WHY charity that helped her after losing her mum
ITV News' Louisa Britton has been speaking to Rachel Clark about her fundraising challenge.
A police officer from Frome has been running a mile every day this year raising money for the charity that supported her when her mum died of cancer. Rachel Clark is no stranger to fundraising challenges but for her latest feat she is hoping to raise 10 thousand pounds for the charity WHY (We Hear You).
Rachel said: "Everything I do, all my fundraising is in her memory. I know she would be very proud. She probably would have told me to take a rest by now.
"But as long as I'm fit enough and well enough to continue to do challenges, I will."
Rachel's mum Shirley died in 2011 at the age of 65, and shortly afterwards Rachel lost her grandmother too. She was offered bereavement counselling through the charity Why.
She said: "I was kind of stuck and I needed to move on and I needed to function. I needed to be do what to do in my day job as a police officer.
"A lot of people regard me as quite a strong character, but I was broken.
"That counselling enabled me to breathe live again and just go forward."Rachel will be running a mile for 365 days, with the final run due to take place on 31 December. She posts the location of her runs every day, so that supporters and fellow runners can join and donate money. Emily Denham, one of the runners that has donated to the challenge and joined Rachel on many of her mile runs, said: "I think it's awesome. I love what Rachel's done for donkeys years.
"This particular challenge has really, like, galvanized the community and got them all on board. Random people come for miles, but also regular people, too. It's great. I love it.
John Yeo, a fellow Frome runner, said: "It's something that's so important to get the message across that people do need the counselling and the support with a serious illness and cancer.
"My wife's sister passed away last year and it's had a big effect on the family. And so any support we can get is really really appreciated. So what she's doing is incredible."
Rachel added: "People say that I have inspired many, but they are the people that inspire me to keep going.
"So I would love as many people as possible to come to to the final mile at the Frome Rugby club on the 31st December lunchtime, when we can go out with a bang and really look back and just see what a difference we've made to this charity.
"One of my friends once said to me never, ever underestimate the difference that you're making in this community."