You may know that this Sunday (16 Sept) I am doing the Great North Run for the 27th time. (This is actually the 32nd Run but I've missed 5.) Most people think I'm crazy but it is good fun - to look back on, at least!

This year I am raising money for Tynesight, to celebrate the rebranding of our Eye Unit as "Newcastle Eye Centre". The charity supports local research into blinding eye conditions and the development of new treatment services.

If you are able to support Tynesight by donating via this Justgiving page I'd be really pleased. (Tynesight is run under the auspices of the Newcastle Healthcare Charity but if you indicate on the donation page how much you are giving I'll make sure your donation goes into the correct fund.)

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.