I am running the 2021London marathon to raise funds for the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS). NYAS are a leading children's rights-based charity who support children and young people in care. They listen to what children and young people want, care about what they say, and empower them to get their voice heard. They ensure their wishes and feelings are expressed and acted upon to improve their situation and help them build a better future.

I volunteer with NYAS as an Independent Visitor (IV) and have done so for around 3 years. My role as an independent volunteer allows me to act as a role model and provide positive opportunities to a young person in care. This ranges from helping them to develop new skills and interests to going to the cinema or go-karting. I act as an ‘independent’ person outside the care system giving the young person continuity, which isn’t something they have necessarily experienced. I have been working with my current young person for 2 and a half years, and we try to meet up regularly on a monthly basis.

I originally signed up for the April 2020 London marathon but due to Covid-19, it has been postponed twice, so hopefully this will be third time lucky! I haven’t run a marathon before, but I have completed two half marathons, both in under 2 hours. I’m hoping to complete the marathon in around 4 hours and hope to raise £240, which is roughly a pound a minute if I achieve my target time.