<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: #1c1c1c; line-height: 14px;"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">After last year's aborted attempt through illness and injury I've decided to put myself through it again and run the London Marathon - the hairs are getting worryingly grey (or is it greying from worry?) and the limbs are taking longer to recover and the wife has given me the ultimate pass.......so as Elvis once sang 'It's now or never'.........But far more importantly I've decided to run it for a charity movement&nbsp;which I have a genuine passion for&nbsp;- Havens Hospice very near to home. I have run various 10k's, half marathons for hospices closer to&nbsp;previous abodes&nbsp;(St Christophers in Sydenham and Demelza in Kent). Havens hospice is based in Thundersley (Little Havens for children) and Southend (Fair Havens for adults).</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Since having two adorable and healthy children I often reflect on how lucky I am and try to avoid thinking too much about how I would cope if I required the services of a charity such as Little Havens&nbsp;- I simply dont think I would cope......but I know Havens is there for those that need it and I have unbelievable respect for those that drive the charity, the hospice movement in general and work in them. They need our support and still without government funding would cease to exist without fundraising such as this.</p> As a small aside I still remember the article that got me interested in the hospice movement, and I found it..! It is an obituary for Dame Cicely Saunders who basically set up the hospice movement in the UK in response to the medieval way we used to treat terminally ill individuals. &nbsp;<a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #2a42c6; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/jul/16/guardianobituaries.health">http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/jul/16/guardianobituaries.health</a>&nbsp;If you got time have a read, a fascinating woman. <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A little bit about Havens - please take two minutes of your time...!</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Little Havens Children's Hospice provides respite breaks, symptom control and end-of-life care for youngsters living with serious conditions and who are not expected to reach adulthood. It aims to make their journey - and that of the family - as comfortable as possible, creating special memories along the way. The love and care provided by the Care Team in the homely surroundings at Little Havens is as special and unique as the child. This could not continue without kind donations as it costs &pound;2.3 million each year to keep the hospice open. Fair Havens is the adult equivalent providing palliative care for adults with life shortening conditions.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving &ndash; they&rsquo;ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they&rsquo;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&rsquo;s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">So please dig deep and donate now.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; line-height: 19px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Thank you very much indeed from myself and Havens.</p> </span></p>