On 2 October I will be running the London Marathon to raise money for UK Youth - an amazing charity supporting youth services and young people across the country.

I’ve worked with the charity as a trustee since 2016, and over the past five and a half years I’ve seen the critical work that they and their members do to support young people all over the UK - and how hugely appreciated it is by those they work with.

Youth services have been decimated by recent austerity, and the pandemic has made the pressures on remaining services - and the level of need - even more acute.

Giving young people a safe space and someone to talk to or confide in is so important, and the opportunity for them to learn new skills, build their confidence or think about how they can affect change on the things that matter to them is more needed than ever, in a constantly changing and challenging world.

Having tried (but always failed) to get into running, I decided to bite the bullet and sign up for this year’s London Marathon to help raise money for everything UK Youth does to support such phenomenal work.

Really grateful for any support!

A bit more about UK Youth:

UK Youth is a national charity working with a network of over 8000 youth organisations and nation partners. They influence as a sector-supporting infrastructure body, a direct delivery partner and a campaigner for social change.

UK Youth’s new 2025 strategy, “Unlocking Youth Work” outlines a bold ambition to impact young lives by unlocking youth work as a catalyst for change. They are working in partnership to build a cross-sector movement, creating a society that understands, champions, and delivers effective youth work for all.