Sarah Ashford smiling at camera and holding a small white dog

We spoke with Sarah Ashford, a textile artist, who, after working on our 40th anniversary quilt project, decided to take on the Cardiff Half Marathon 2023 for us, along with 17 friends! We asked her about her motivations for running for the charity. 

If Sarah’s story inspires you, general entries for the Cardiff Half Marathon 2023 are now closed, but if you're quick you can sign up for one of our last three places!

What have you enjoyed most about fundraising for us?

I first got involved with Terrence Higgins Trust when I was asked to work on a commemorative quilt project to remember Terry for the charity’s 40th anniversary.

Even though at that time I didn't know much about Terry Higgins or Terrence Higgins Trust, I recognised the importance of the project, and I was excited at the idea of a collaborative quilt made by textile artists across the country. 

At that time I was the Young Quilter's Project Leader (YQPL) for the Quilters' Guild, and we were keen to get young people involved in contributing towards one of the panels. I came up with the concept of a message board, with people who knew Terry, service users and staff writing messages that could then be embroidered by children onto 40 hearts of different sizes. 

Midway through the project I left my role as YQPL, but by that time I was deeply passionate about the project, and decided to continue in a voluntary capacity. It was without doubt a good decision; I can't tell you how important this quilt, the people I've worked with, and the mission of Terrence Higgins Trust have become to me. The quilt project is now complete and I am so excited for the big reveal of all eight panels at The Festival of Quilts in August 2023. 

While I was so thrilled when the quilt was finished and looking incredible, I was also sad that my work with Terrence Higgins Trust was over... or so I thought! It was then that I had the idea to take on a fitness challenge to fundraise, and I settled on taking on the Cardiff Half Marathon. 

There were many reasons why I chose this particular challenge: firstly, I'm keen to improve my running, and I thought that a half marathon would be a realistic goal for me to achieve (I'm not ready for a full marathon yet!); Cardiff is less than two hours from where I live, so location-wise it was convenient; I have family in Wales, and Terry Higgins himself was from Cardiff, which is a lovely tie-in; and finally, I know it's going to be a really special event, as it’s the Cardiff Half’s 20th anniversary this year!

I am very lucky to be a part of a small community gym here in Somerset called Superstar Studios. Over the last few years, we have collectively taken on several challenges and competitions. I invited a handful of people to join me in running the half marathon for Terrence Higgins Trust, expecting that there would be about 4 or 5 of us. I'm overwhelmingly proud to say that we are now a team of 18 running and fundraising for Terrence Higgins Trust! This is testament to the incredible community spirit at Superstar Studios, and our strong desire to support such an important cause. 

How are you preparing for the Cardiff Half Marathon?

We’re working as a team to fundraise, making use of our range of skills and contacts. We have lots of plans in motion, including a raffle, a silent auction and bag packing at supermarkets. It's really bringing us together as a community and strengthening our friendships, as we work towards this shared goal. 

In terms of training, we’ve set up a weekly running club, headed up by one of our members who is a very experienced runner. Everyone is at a different level in terms of speed and experience, and we make sure that training is fun, inclusive, and a positive experience for everyone. We are all on this training and fundraising journey together, and we’re having the best time!

It's wonderful that we can enjoy improving our health and fitness while supporting Terrence Higgins Trust. It's been a great opportunity to raise awareness among my fellow gym members and those that are supporting us. Knowing that we are contributing to ending all new cases of HIV by 2030 makes me feel really proud. 

What would you say to someone considering taking on a challenge for Terrence Higgins Trust?

I would say just do it! It's such a fabulous charity to support. They have been here to guide us every step of the way, and already it's been so rewarding. Taking on a challenge for Terrence Higgins Trust is a great opportunity to have an adventure, challenge yourself, make new friends, and organise fun and memorable fundraising events, all while supporting a worthwhile cause. 

Yes, the training will get hard, yes, the actual event is likely to be tough, but that feeling when we've done it is going to be like nothing else. I can’t wait!