Helping to make the most of small and precious lives

On Sunday the 25th of April, as you are enjoying a leisurely breakfast, I shall be lining up to run the London Marathon. If you have never run a marathon before, then join the club, because this will be the first time in my life that I have ever run 26.2 miles!

Why am I doing it? Partly I guess it is a bit of a mid life crisis, at 53 if I don't do it now, I never will. More significantly I am running because Children's Hospice South West gave me the opportunity, with one of their Gold Bond entry tickets.

Those of you who know me well, will know that I lost Dee, my first wife to cancer in 1998 and our three children Ben, Jack and Izzy lost their mum. What has made an impact on me recently is the realisation that Dee's parents also lost their daughter, and all of the hopes and dreams they had for her.

Children’s Hospice South West cares for children who have illnesses which mean they will die before reaching adulthood, and achieving their hopes and dreams for the future and the hopes and dreams of their parents.

If all I do is go through a small amount of pain and discomfort on a Sunday morning to help, then it doesn't seem much to do, although by the time I get to the end I may feel differently!

I have already run over 500 miles in training and lost over two stone on the way. My three children will be in London with me to support me on the day, but you could support me now by making a donation to help Children's Hospice South West make the most of small and precious lives.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. All you need to do is click on the JustGiving icon below.

If you would prefer to make a donation by cheque, please make your cheque payable to Children's Hospice South West, we will pass it on and complete the Gift Aid documentation on your behalf.

So please dig deep and donate now and enjoy your breakfast on the 25th.

Many thanks for your help, I will of course let you know how it goes!