I am glad to say that I managed to completed the race in one piece (just about) on Sunday and wanted to thank you all for your support for the half marathon. The donations will really make a difference to Small Steps so thank you for your generosity.
The pre-race build up was slightly intimidating with nearly 15,000 runners and constant commentary that it was 'the perfect day for a PB', but I was confident I could set a new personal record given this was the furthest I'd ever run! I was happy to get under the 100 minute mark despite some fuelling difficulties, completing the course in 99 minutes. April came with me to cheer me on and was especially interested in the silver space blanket which is apparently the best toy you could hope for as a 6 month old baby (see picture)!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am hoping to complete the Reading Half Marathon in March to help raise awareness and funds for a local charity in South London called Small Steps.
As many of you will know my daughter April was diagnosed with Down's syndrome shortly after she was born last year. Down's syndrome is a life long condition that causes delays in learning and development.
The team at Small Steps, where April will attend regular sessions, help families with children with special needs to develop through helping parents work with their children on developmental activities. I'm aiming to hit £1,000 for this run which could afford better equipment and allow the charity to reach more families in need.
Small Steps – School for Parents
helps children with special needs, aged 6 months to four years, work on all areas of their development. Because these children have cerebral palsy, other forms of motor impairment, syndromes or sensory impairment, they need a great deal of extra stimulation and assistance to help them reach even the most basic milestones.
At Small Steps, teachers and therapists lead the parent-child team through a structured programme designed to help each child achieve individualised developmental steps. Within each weekly group session, children work through a series of stimulating and challenging tasks addressing every aspect of a young child’s development: physical, social, emotional, communicative and cognitive.
http://www.smallstepssfp.org.uk/
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.
