I will be running the British 10K Run for the Albert Kennedy Trust and I am hoping you will support my attempts to raise money for this amazing organisation that supports young gay, bi and trans people who are either living in a hostile environment or unable to live at home at all because of homophobia.

AKT provides:

–   Safe and supportive homes with LGBT Carers through their Supported Lodgings Scheme (limited placements for 16-21 year old). They also have a range of organizations they refer to in cases where they cannot supply accommodation.

–   More informal support by helping young people build positive independent futures through mentoring & befriending

–   Advocacy, information and support by phone, face to face or email: to help young people achieve their own tenancy, employment or return to education.

–   They also offer training and audit to mainstream housing and homelessness organizations to ensure they treat LGBT people with respect and fairness, as part of its ‘Making a Difference’ quality mark scheme.

Despite 10 years of progressive LGBT legislation which has enabled young people to feel more confident to come out at an early age, the reality is that when they do they are still greeted with the same level of homophobia & transphobia at home or school.

On a personal note, I have never run anything in my life, being asthmatic, and very lazy too :-), but I would like to demonstrate to my friends and colleagues that everything is possible if you do what you believe in.

The AKT needs our support, so please give anything you can because however large or small, it will definitely make a difference.

Thank you all,

Sam

UPDATES:

I have managed to get a few good intense running weeks, also recording good times, but just when I was experiencing these amazing improvements I had to stop and head down to the south of Italy for the premature loss of my dad… 

I am, anyway, going to run and finish the 10K not only for the AKT, but also for my personal angel who will give me the strength to actually do it.