Dawn's training for national competition
Dawn Barnard, 45, from St Blazey has worked as a carer at Little Harbour children’s hospice at Porthpean in St Austell for almost three years. Inspired by the families she works with as well as people she knows through her gym Dawn has set herself a huge challenge of competing in a bodybuilding competition while raising funds for Little Harbour. She has had to commit to a strict regime of training along with a strict diet, all while putting time into her fundraising for Little Harbour as well.
Dawn explains where she got the idea for the challenge:
“I wanted to do something for the hospice, to prove my dedication and raise awareness of it. Little Harbour is like my second home, I truly adore my role in caring for children and helping their families. I am privileged and lucky to be a part of such a great team.
The idea to take part in the competition came from me really admiring the intensity and commitment it takes others, particularly my now friend and trainer Debbie Baker, to transform their bodies year after year. I wondered what my body could do if I could commit, however in the past I have always been too busy to attempt anything like this.
One day it came to me that if I committed to raising money for Little Harbour while training for this competition it would give me the motivation to do it. My hobby is going to turn into the ultimate challenge for me.
After consulting with her partner as well as well as her trainer, on the 1st January 2019 Dawn started on a strict training and nutrition plan, training up to five times a week at Snowlands Gym in Par, all aiming towards the body building show in October.
Dawn reflects on how far she has come already “The challenge has already changed my life quite a bit, no alcohol, no diet coke and a planned diet with only a small variety of foods to sustain fuelling my body to grow and be strong. At home my partner has taken the role of cooking for himself and our kids because I have to be so strict with the weighing, preparation and the amount of times I have to eat each day. I'm half-way there now and have just started my cutting phase which means I have 22 weeks to lose as much body fat as possible while maintaining muscle.”
“The show is the ultimate challenge for me to compete with other bodybuilders and showcase my body. I will be judged to professional standards on how my body looks which is terrifying, but I am excited. This is so far out of my comfort zone, however to have my life turned upside down for a few months and hopefully raise money for CHSW is nothing compared to daily challenges and heartbreak that many families I come into contact with suffer.
I hope to raise a lot of money for Little Harbour throughout the process. It means a lot to me that I can help the charity to help as many families as possible.”
Dawn has great backing from her fellow colleagues at Little Harbour who have been supporting her with her training and diet amongst her twelve hour shifts as a carer at the hospice.
Nikki Isbell, Senior Care Team Leader at Little Harbour said
Everyone here at Little Harbour is so incredibly proud of Dawn and her dedication to this immense challenge. She is so focussed on her training, diet and fundraising that we are all so proud and backing her all the way.
Dawn will be collecting donations at the Par Inn on 31st August to help raise funds towards her sponsorship for the event. There will be a BBQ from 5pm as well as music from the Strutts.
Follow Dawn's progress on Instagram
