The Great North Run is 30 years old and I've just got round to doing it.  It's my first half marathon and many times over the last few months when I've felt like giving up training I've asked myself: why are you doing this?  Well here's why ...

It takes £7,500 to train a hearing dog, but when they are trained they provide a vital service to their deaf partner, alerting them to alarms, doorbells, telephones etc and generally being a great companion and friend.

With your help I can provide a little money towards training a dog who will make a real difference to someone's life.  Thank you for anything you can spare to support me in this challenge.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure – they’ll never sell on your details or send unwanted emails. They send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.