In April this year I will be running (slowly) the London Marathon in memory of Geoffrey Maddrell. Geoffrey was a former Chairman of Unite Students, where I worked for 17 years until 2016, and convinced me to run my first (and only) Marathon in 2001. He passed away last year.

Geoffrey was an avid fundraiser for charity and established Research Autism in 2004. In 2018 Geoffrey set up Employment Autism, I am therefore raising money for them.

Employment Autism is founded on the premise that employment is an important facet of social inclusion, and autistic people have much to offer as employees. The charity's vision is for all autistic people to have opportunity in work and fulfilment in life.

Geoffrey was still running marathons, raising significant sums, in his late 70s and this seems a fitting way to remember him.

Thank you very much for your support.

Mark