Tell us about your event and how you took over your local parkrun
Jakia: A lot of other charitable organisations had held takeover days at Cheltenham, and I thought our group would be able to do one too.
I sought permission from both the event directors at parkrun and the volunteer coordinator at Endometriosis UK on how I would go about organising a volunteer day takeover with my local endometriosis support group.
Once approval was gained, we canvassed our support group looking for volunteers, in the hope that they would be able to feel well enough on the day to volunteer. Unfortunately, with endometriosis, we understand that sufferers cannot guarantee how they will feel on any given day, and therefore, we reached out to our respective families and friends to help too.
We were so lucky to have our support network around us, so this wasn't too stressful; well, I can say that now, can't I?! I was a serious nervous wreck in the days coming up to our event!
What kind of conversations did you have with the public on the day?
All: We explained how crucial the role of Endometriosis UK is to all the suffers in this country, about the group, we shared stories of peoples journeys and celebrated the 3rd birthday of the group.
Do you have any highlights from the event?
Jakia: This takeover coincidentally fell on International Women's Day and was also the 3rd birthday of our support group that was created by Hannah. There were 659 participants on the day!
This group has enabled myself and the other members within our group to raise more awareness of the disease at a local level and represent the charity in our workplaces to ensure there is more understanding about endometriosis. To date we have raised in excess of £900 since we started in 2022.
We also managed to have our Mayor of Cheltenham attend and be a cheer volunteer, as well as our local MP who vowed to help bring women's health to the forefront and help make it more visible.
A massive thank you must go to all of the volunteers that helped to ensure the morning's set-up went without a hitch.
Tell us about the Gloucestershire Support Group
Charlotte: We’re lucky to have built up a very active and supportive community in Gloucestershire via our local Endometriosis UK group. Hannah established the group in 2022, seeing the need for support in the local area. Last year, Jakia and I came on board as Support Group leaders. Our group has now been going through for three years!
Over that time, we’ve built up an amazing network of members - both online via social media and also meeting in person. We hold monthly meetings in person. These can be open sessions where we encourage members to sit and chat with each other, as well as activities such as chair yoga, mindful colouring, or talks on topics like nutrition and alternative therapies.
We always try to take part in national Endometriosis UK events like Action Month or Walk For Endo to raise awareness and funds.
What would your advice be to anyone thinking of attending a support group, or reaching out to Endometriosis UK's support services for the first time?
Jakia: For me this support group and parkrun have been my saving grace and lifeline, with both helping me tremendously after my major operation last year, and that is why we hope to say thank you to parkrun and encourage more people to come and find our group and start thinking about their own health journey and attend any local parkrun to help with their health and well-being, ultimately.
Thank you to the Gloucestershire Support Group for your incredible support. To find out more about the Gloucestershire group and how to attend, please click here.
Feeling inspired? You can host your very own DIY fundraising event just like Jakia, Charlotte and Hannah! Click here to find out more.
