After years of wanting to run the London Marathon and failing to get a place in the public ballot, I’ve finally obtained my ticket to sporting glory by agreeing to raise £1350 for the National Blind Children’s Society (NBCS). Watch out Paula Radcliffe - there's a younger, fatter and significantly shorter opponent who's just joined the international running community.  

 

So what is it about the NBCS that makes such a difference? There are 24,000 children in the UK who are registered blind or partially sighted. The NBCS aims to ensure that children who are visually impaired are able to fulfil their potential and achieve both educational and recreational goals. This is achieved through the provision of family support, CustomEyes Large Print Books, ICT and specialist equipment, recreational support and through educational advocacy.

 

As someone who has always loved reading, sport, travel and living an independent, carefree and spontaneous life, I find it hard to imagine the impact that the loss of my sight would have had on me and my family.

 

So what will your donations provide? A donation of £10 will provide a child with a sensory light to assist them with learning hand-eye coordination or buy an audio book. £50 will help five families access initial support to help them cope with the needs of a blind or partially sighted child. £500 will ensure a teenager has the necessary screen reader software to study for their A-levels.

 

Any donation, no matter how large or small will contribute to helping blind and partially sighted kids and young people to live a more independent and fulfilled life.

 

And now for the dull part....

 

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.