This time last year many of you very generously sponsored me for MacMillan cancer in the New York City Marathon. The picture left proves – should proof be necessary – that I completed the race. Otherwise, where would I have got that tinfoil cape and bronze-effect medallion? Ok, I could have swiped them from a comatose runner slumped in Central Park (or Martin Frizell). But I did compete the run in a fairly reasonable 3 hours 50 minutes, and have the weight loss to prove it. Ok now the serious bit.

This year I am running the race again, in a slightly more competitive frame of mind (yes that is possible) but for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Many of you will know that earlier this year our daughter Iris tragically passed away after being born prematurely. What we learnt during this experience was that advances in medical care and expertise mean that many babies born prematurely not only survive but go into childhood with no complications.

Great Ormond Street’s paediatric intensive care unit is the biggest in Britain and treats many thousands of babies each year. What they do there is amazing. I know, as I have seen it and can say with confidence that it makes most other human activity seem second order (yes, even public relations…)

Great Ormond Street operates on around £300 million per year. Each year they need to raise around £50 million from private donations.  The money we raise will go directly to buying equipment for the intensive care unit.

Thanks ever so much for any contribution you can make.

Ed