I am running the Warsaw marathon on September 29th to raise money for Project House, Carmel Charity Foundation’s first venture. This will be my 4th marathon this year!

The Carmel Charity Foundation raises funds and organises projects to benefit children and adults with ill-health, disability or hardship and their families. We aim to make difficult lives easier through the provision of grants, equipment, the adaptation of housing or, when necessary, by just rolling up our sleeves and getting the job done ourselves.

Our first project is to rebuild the home of 12-year-old Dominic and his family after it was left inhabitable when the builders carrying out vital adaptations to the property 6 years ago went bust mid-way through the project.

Dominic lives at home with his mum Renata, brother Elliot, and sister Lilia. Dominic has an undiagnosed genetic condition that means he is wheelchair dependant, fatigues very easily and has weak bones. He is tube fed, has chronic severe pain, his blood sugars drop, and he requires thyroid and growth hormone replacement therapy.

Over the years various builders have visited the house declaring it unsafe and as a result were unwilling to take on the project.

There are holes in the walls and the downstairs flooring is incomplete, water is leaking through the ceiling into the electrics, the kitchen units are falling from the walls, there is an unstable wall in the family’s living area and the back garden is inaccessible.

The Carmel Charity Foundation felt this family should be making the most of the time they have together, because Dominic’s future is uncertain. Renata, Elliot, Lilia and Dominic deserve a home that is a sanctuary, not a dangerous, stressful and chaotic place to live.

And that’s why we stepped in. We want to help build this family a haven that they can enjoy and be proud of, a home that will not restrict Dominic but allow him to move around freely both inside and outside.

We will need to raise £200,000 to carry out the project and running the Warsaw marathon is just one event that I will taking part in over the next year to raise money for Project House.