The last time I asked for sponsorship to raise funds for a charity was a walk for AIDS in New York City in the winter of 1992.  As I approach the big 50, I fancied the idea of completing the London Marathon in my wonderful home city and I am very excited that my son, Sam, will join me on the start line … although he has a target finishing time and I most certainly don't!  

We are jointly running for two wonderful charities that I have supported for many years.  

One in ten people around the world still drink dirty water and one in three are still without a decent toilet.  WaterAid is highly effective because every £ has huge leverage because these basic human needs are relatively inexpensive and really changes lives.  

World Jewish Relief is the charity which brought my father, Sam's grandfather, to England as an orphan refugee after the Holocaust in 1945.  Since then it has continued to do wonderful work, servicing both Jewish and and non-Jewish communities around the world, who need long term support and emergency relief.