I will be running the London Marathon to raise money for the Stroke Association for the second time.  Someone in England and Wales has a stroke every five minutes, and a few years ago my father became one of those people.  By the time the starting gun goes on April 22nd, we will have celebrated his 70th birthday.  He was very fortunate – he types more now and uses an electric toothbrush, but is otherwise fully recovered.  Many people aren’t so lucky, in fact strokes are the third most common cause of death in the UK.

The Stroke Association’s main focus is to prevent strokes through education and provide support to victims and their families.  This support covers everything from providing information on what has happened and how to manage, through to welfare grants to help with the unexpected costs of this sudden change.  They are also actively involved in funding further research into the causes of strokes.

Thousands of people are raising money for many great causes at this time of the year, and I am sure you will have been tapped up many times already.  However, if you have any capcity left, my training has erred far too much towards the “saving your energy for the day” variety, and anything you can spare will really help my motivation as I grind through those miles, as well as benefiting a terrific charity.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Stroke Association will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

Many thanks for your support.

Alastair