Working as a carer for two friends of mine and representing disabled students at university made me realise just how important the work that scope do is. Disabled people face challenges every day that most of us can't imagine, and Scope do everything they can to make those challenges a little bit easier to meet.

They provide support to people with cerebral palsy and campaign for the rights of disabled people in general. Their support ranges from advice for the parents of therecently diagnosed to adapted accomodation for adults with the condition, all of which requires large amounts of funding to keep it going.

Their campaigning work focuses on getting the government and other organisations to take notice of people with disabilites, and begin building a world where disabled people have the same oppotunites as everyone else. This is particularly important in the current climate, where disabled peoples services can be seen as an easy target to cut.

The lives of disabled people are always going to be more challenging. What Scope do is bit by bit, one step at a time, to make them less so, by both providing services and campaigning.

I've now been in training for the Marathon since the new year and am really looking forward to it. I'm also very nervous, and well aware that it's going to be a really tough run. As well as helping a great cause your sponsorship will help me power through the pain at mile 22 and keep going to the end.

Please do give generously - some possible donations are:

£5.94 – One penny/mile run in training (approx)

£9.16 – My target min/mile pace (I promise I won’t ask for more if I slow down)

£26.20 – One pound/mile

£42.16 – One pound/kilometre – for the metric lovers amongst you

Please do come down to Brighton and watch, the more support I have on the day the better.

Thankyou in advance for your donations

Marcus