A mum of two from the Forest of Dean is swapping a beach in the Mediterranean for a pair of running trainers to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Penny Latham, from Littledean, was looking forward to marking the big day with a two-week break in Cyprus with her family later this month but had to cancel the holiday due to the pandemic lockdown.

Undeterred and inspired to help others, she decided to celebrate her half century by organising a virtual fun run for charity instead.

And she is hoping hundreds of her colleagues at NatWest will take part in the run with her on May 24 raising money for NHS Charities Together and the South West Children’s Hospice.

Penny works as a community banker with NatWest and is based at the bank’s branch in Gloucester. She works with local communities in the Lydney, Chepstow and Chipping Sodbury areas helping people with their finances. She took up running 12 years ago after giving up smoking and since then has run in several half-marathons, raising money for good causes.

She said: “I really enjoy running and it really helped me when I gave up smoking. Since then I’ve loved using my running to help raise money for charities that are very close to my heart. I’m really lucky to be able to help people in a similar way in the job I do with NatWest, which makes me very proud and gives me a lot of fulfilment.

“We found out that we would have to cancel our holiday to Cyprus around the same time as the Bristol Half Marathon was cancelled because of lockdown. I was meant to take part in that run raising money for charity and didn’t want those good causes to miss out, so I thought what better way to celebrate my birthday by organising a virtual fun run instead?

“The response from my colleagues at work has been amazing and lots have said they are going to take part. It’s open to everyone and people can walk or run either one mile, three miles or six miles as part of the event. They can do it in their homes or back gardens or as part of their daily exercise routine that’s allowed under lockdown.

“We’re hoping as many people as possible run in fancy dress and they’ll be a price for the winner. I’ve set-up a Facebook group so people can share videos and photos from their runs, and there’s a Just Giving Page too where people can donate money.

“The NHS and South West Children’s Hospice are run by such amazing people who provide so many vital services. Every penny the virtual run raises will go to supporting this amazing work that they do.”

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/penny-latham-2.