I am about one week away from embarking on my first marathon. 

As anyone who has prepared for a marathon will tell you, this is not easy! Following a pretty strict training regime, dealing with setbacks, injuries, dodgy knees, giving up booze ( at least for the final month!) and not to mention those long loooong runs!! To say it has been grueling is an understatement. At the end of my last 20 mile run I was convinced my legs wouldn't be able to carry me home and I would need to call an Uber! 

However, the sore muscles, the lost toe nails and multiple trips to the physio are nothing compared to the great work that Spires does here in our community. 

Spires work to improve the quality of life of people who are homeless, insecurely housed, unemployed, or suffering from the effects of poverty, mental illness and loneliness. 

I decided to run for Spires because I find it too easy to close my door and forget about the hundreds if not thousands of lonely, homeless and mentally ill people living close to home.  This has to change.

Spires is right there, shoulder to shoulder with our neighbours providing valuable support, to those who are lost, lonely and frankly who just need someone. 

Taking  inspiration from the words of St Teresa of Calcutta; "The biggest disease today is not leprosy, or cancer, or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling or being unwanted, uncared for, deserted by everybody.  The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity, the terrible indifference towards ones neighbour who lives at the roadside, the victim of exploitation , corruption poverty and disease. "

COVID19 has hit Spires pretty hard and they need our support to keep making a difference to lives of those they serve. 

It has been a long old 3 months of training and I would be so grateful for your support.  Please be as generous as you can for this great charity it will mean the world to them and benefit the hundreds of people they serve.

Many thanks

Alastair