I’ve found myself to be one of the chosen 1.6% of applicants to get a ballot place to run the London Marathon on Sunday 26th April 2026!

As I have been lucky enough to get a space it only feels right to raise money for a place very close to our hearts, Carter’s Sunflowers Nursery, a specialist non-profit nursery that has been truly life-changing for our amazing son, Tommy.

Carter’s Sunflowers is a nurturing and supportive environment for children with Autism, Social Communication needs, and related conditions. It’s a place where every child is understood, accepted for who they are and heard, even if they don’t yet have the words — and where families like ours finally feel seen and supported.

Sadly, the reality for many SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) families is that support and early intervention are incredibly hard to access. We were lucky enough to find Carter’s through another parent who we happened to meet while viewing a specialist school and we can’t thank them enough for introducing us, we just wish we knew about this amazing place sooner as watching Tommy thrive and smiling everyday going to nursery is the most amazing feeling ever.

As a family we know how it feels sending your child to an environment that doesn’t feel right for them and how helpless you feel knowing they are not understood and since Tommy has joined Carters we can see how safe and supported he feels and the girls that work here truly are incredible - thank you to you all 💛

In running the marathon, I hope to not only raise vital funds for Carter’s Sunflowers so they can continue their incredible work, but also help raise awareness for other families navigating this journey.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a real difference to the children and families who rely on this amazing place. Carters are a community interest company, therefore not owned or resourced by the local authority, which means they receive no additional funding; they are funded as any other PVI (Private, Voluntary, Independent) nursery would be even though they require more staffing, equipment, safety measures and support then a standard nursery so this money will mean we can keep Carters going for as long as possible!

Thank you so much for your support — it truly means the world to us 💛🌻

Ps. I hope to see many of your faces on the day to keep me going and please feel free to join me training, I’m going to need the help 😂

Lauren xx