When I heard Olympic legend Mo Mowlam was attempting to become the first British athlete to win the Great North Run since 1985 I thought 'you're not having it all your own way Mo' and decided to polish off my Krispy Kreme selection box and get in shape.

Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago with my training bang on schedule to cause an upset at the head of the field I injured my back whilst vigorously reading the newspaper leaving me unable to continue my brave quest.

Luckily world-renowned football coach, dog handler and raconteur Mr David Upton has stepped in to fill my trainers. Dave has agreed to run for my chosen charity Money for Madagascar. 'Why Madagascar?' I hear you ask 'surely the royalties from the movies must still be rolling in?'

 Well in 2009 I spent three months working at Akany Avoko, a home for orphaned and abandoned children in Madagascar. The home is funded by Money for Madagascar and was a truly inspiring place to be. I was humbled by the sheer joy of the children who lived there despite their often heart-breaking stories.

The home relies almost entirely upon donations to continue their outstanding work. I hope that you can give generously to help these wonderful kids acheive a better life.

Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.