Hi there - thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. On the run up to Christmas last year I decided to tackle the Great North Run on behalf of Christian Aid. My forte is writing songs and music of course, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to raise some funds for an organisation that just keeps on going in the fight against poverty. Read on to hear more about Christian Aid and why along with nearly 55,000 other people I'm running from Newcastle to South Shields in September 2014. 

Christian Aid was founded by the churches in Britain in the aftermath of the Second World War to help rebuild a continent torn apart by conflict. Since then they have grown to become one of the most respected aid agencies providing not just relief from the symptoms of poverty but a consistent voice to advocate on behalf of the world's poorest people. They don't just deliver aid but work hard to change the systems that keep poor people poor. Over the years I have been a travelling musician I have been constantly inspired and encouraged by the many practical ways Christian Aid and their partners have helped ordinary people in many different nations get to their feet and begin to make a secure future for their families and communities. From helping a rural Kenyan community to set up a mobile weather forecasting system to help with planting and harvesting, to providing the means for a West African village to build a holding station for their produce and improve their yields. From organising campaigns to encourage the G8 sit up and take their responsibilities towards the worlds' poor seriously, to leading the call for tougher climate change regulation in the UK and Europe and calling upon global corporations to start paying their fair share of tax in developing nations. I reckon the least I can do is run a few miles to draw attention to their work. Please consider giving generously and helping the work to carry on. 

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