Hello Ladies and Gents, 

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page where you can support my 26.2 miles of pain by donating to charity.

 

2012 is (hopefully) the year that I will complete the Paris Marathon. I have always planned to attempt a marathon in my lifetime but last October I had to momentarily forget the consequences and commit to the run which takes place on 15 April. I started training for the Milan marathon last year but got so bored in training I decided I needed some company. So Mr David Yule, who has been posted to London for a year, volunteered to be my training buddy and has promised to cross the finish line 0.01 seconds behind me.

 

The main reason for making 2012 the year of my marathon is the memory of my Grandpa. He died in March last year after reaching the grand old age of 86. He wasn’t a big fan of exercise, but he was a pretty extra-ordinary man who valued hard work and supported his family. And he was the best Grandpa any grand-daughter could ever ask for so I wanted to undertake a challenge to commemorate him. 

 

Despite being an accountant he gave a lot of his money away, mainly to charities so when finding one to run for I had the pick of the bunch. One of the charities he supported was Enable Scotland which is an organization for children and adults with learning disabilities. It campaigns for a socially inclusive society where people with learning disabilities are regarded and treated as full and equal citizens. ENABLE provides innovative community-based services which help people with learning disabilities to live, attend school, work and enjoy meaningful participation in their local community.

 

Well that’s their blurb anyway. I phoned them to ask how they are actually making a difference. Having a learning disability or being a carer to someone with a learning disability makes everyday life incredibly hard. Enable Scotland give immense support to these people to help them complete small tasks like catching a bus. It also guides them through big life changing improvements like living independently of the family home. I think you'll agree that continued support for those with learning difficulties is very important and that in these times of funding cuts charitable financial assistance is vital.

  

 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 why Paris? Well the course is meant to be pretty flat which if you speak to Dave you will know “I don’t do hills”. It’s also a cheeky excuse to visit one of the most beautiful cities in the world and drink champagne, post run of course.

 

Any donation big or small will make a big difference to Enable Scotland. It would also make a huge difference to Dave and I to know that we have your support, particularly in the hard times (miles 12, 15, 20, 22 etc). 

 

Thank you so much in advance and I will let you know how we get on - under 4hrs is the dream.

 

Em x