I'm running to raise money for WEST LONDON ZONE, which from a standing start 5 years ago now helps over 1300 children and young people from the least privileged areas of west London make a success of their lives. Jocelyn has been a trustee from very early on, so you know they are worth supporting.

Originally inspired by The Harlem Childrens Zone, which was subsequently rolled across 20 US states, WLZ have created a team of link workers who between them currently look after 1,308 children across 45 schools.

Each child has a personalised two-year intensive package of support created by their link worker. This pulls together the best specialist local programmes to support their goals, strengths and needs. This is done by building trusted relationships, providing specialist support and joining up each child’s support system, including families, schools and local organisations. The aim is to help these children and young people build the relationships and skills they need to successfully cope socially, emotionally and academically.

£400 pays for a link worker to support one child for one school term- so I thought I'd be ambitious and go for two terms worth. And in case you feel it may not be money well spent,  a recent report on the
first 740 children through the WLZ programme from ATQ Consultants concluded “We estimate that there will be total savings or wider
benefits worth £31.6m at 2020/21 prices” That works out at £43,000 per child.