Friary Band bass player Cat Whittingham-Smith is taking on the extreme challenge of the Thames Path 100km Ultramarathon next Saturday to help raise funds for a local charity.

Together with her former Irish Guards' colleague Ruth Lewis they will set off in the hope that they can meet their target of £800 — as well as making it to the finishing tape!

New challenge

Cat explained to 4BR: "'We like to try and fundraise at least once a year together. This year we decided to up the ante and enter a 100km run for Helen & Douglas House, which is an absolutely amazing charity. Neither of us has ever run any sort of ultra distance so it's definitely a new challenge!"

Helen & Douglas House is a children's hospice which looks after terminally ill children and their families. Cat and Ruth's target of £800 will help fund two visits to see penguins, which is an activity the children absolutely love to do around Christmas. Funding also helps the families.

More information and help

For more information about the charity, please visit: https://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/

If you would like to help Cat and Ruth go to their JustGiving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/catherine-and-ruth-100km