Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This is my first marathon and Sam's first half marathon. To match our physical effort we thought it would be good to also make a financial contribution to a good cause.

The charity I have chosen is Corrymeela, which while close to my own heart (both my mother and father have been involved since its formation) is not widely known here in England. So hopefully we will not only raise money but also raise awareness of the good work Corrymeela does.

Corrymeela works to promote peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and also throughout the wider world. Throughout the troubles Corrymeela, through its centre in Ballycastle offered a safe place where Protestants and Catholics could meet on neutral ground, be it schools groups, community groups, religious groups, politicians, or even former paramilitaries. Often the contacts made would be far reaching and long lasting.

While Northern Ireland has made great political progress, violence, religious, political, cultural, economic, and social divisions remain. Indeed more "peace lines", walls/fences between Protestant/Catholic areas, have gone up since the ceasefires then during the troubles. Thus the work Corrymeela does is still as relevant and necessary as ever. 

Corrymeela also works with groups and organisations from other countries in the world who have experienced similar division be it in Israel/Palestine, South Africa,or the former Yugoslavia to share experiences of reconciliation.

If you would like to know more contact me or visit www.corrymeela.org

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.

So please dig deep and donate now.