On 25th September 2011 Ely & Adam will be running the Oxford Half Marathon 2011 in aid of Parkinson's UK. It's a huge challenge as neither of us has ever raced before, but we've been training hard all summer and are feeling (fairly) confident! Please help us support this fantastic cause as far as you feel able, and even if you can only give a small donation, remember that every little helps!

In the UK alone, 120,000 people suffer from Parkinson's, a progressive neurological condition caused by loss of nerve cells in the brain. As the condition progresses, symptoms including tremor, rigidity and loss of movement develop, and people with Parkinson's require increasing amounts of care and support to help with day-to-day tasks that are simple for most of us.

As yet, there is no cure for Parkinson's, and no-one knows exactly why some people get the condition but with groundbreaking research such as that funded by Parkinson's UK, our understanding is increasing every day. The charity aims to invest another £25 million in ambitious research over the next few years in its attempt to find a cure by 2014.

As well as funding research, Parkinson's UK campaigns for everyone with Parkinson's to receive the level of care and support they require, but which many lack, as well as providing support and friendship to everyone living with Parkinson's, and working to improve understanding of the condition by changing attitudes and challenging myths. Find out more about their great work at www.parkinsons.org.uk.

This charity is particularly important to the two of us, as we have both lost close relatives who lived with Parkinson's for many years. Please help us support this fantastic cause by donating as much as you feel able, and if you're around Oxford on the 25th September, please support us by coming to cheer us on in the Half Marathon!