Well having talked an awful lot about running a marathon – it’s time to walk the walk - I’ve now finally signed up for the London Marathon this year!

I will be running the marathon for Action for Stammering Children, a charity some of you may recognize as being associated with a former employer. ASC provide support and training for specialist speech and language therapy for children that have stammers.

Stammering crosses all races, cultures, religions and social groupings, conceals intellectual ability, affects educational choices and achievement, results in impaired communication skills and frequently becomes a focus for teasing and bullying. In severe cases, it may play a significant part in a young person's ability to achieve their potential and to make a full contribution to society as an adult.

It will be a tough task balancing strenuous physical exercise with the alcoholism that often comes with working in politics, but I reckon I should be able to get under 4 hours…hopefully!

So friends, family, colleagues and other people who have happened to stumble upon this page, please donate to this worthwhile cause.