24/10/10 Post-race update:  With the benefit of your fantastic support, I got round in 1hr 58mins.  The photo to prove it is on the left (it was our 18th wedding anniversary today, so the shirt was the least I could do)!  Thank you all again.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

At the tender age of 40-something, I have decided to run the Birmingham Half Marathon on 24 October.  I have been training on and off (more off than on) for the last 9 months, and I am hoping to run the 13 miles in under 2 hours.

There are many good causes which deserve our support, and I am seeking to raise money for two of them.  The first is the DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal.  The vast scale of the emergency, and the limits on the capacity of the Pakistan government, means that many of the 20 million people affected by the flooding still urgently require assistance.  There were a staggering 1.9 million homes damaged or destroyed by the flooding.  In the aftermath there is now a serious risk to survivors from potentially deadly diseases, including cholera, which can spread as a result of contaminated surface and drinking water. To donate, please click below.  

The second destination for donations is the Camphill Village Trust.  The Camphill Communities in England and Wales offer opportunities for people with learning disabilities, mental health problems and other special needs to live, learn and work with others of all abilities in an atmosphere of mutual care and respect.   I have been much taken with the Communities' ethos, and I have asked the Trust that donations through my page go to the community nearest to me, in Stourbridge.  To donate to this charity, please go to http://www.justgiving.com/acurrah2.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure.  So please donate now.  Your contribution, of whatever size, will be very much appreciated.