Thanks for taking the time to visit my fundraising page!

This Sunday - 22nd March 2009 - I am planning to run the Rome Marathon. Or - if past experience is a guide to Sunday's performance - to run the first 16 miles and then somehow stagger around the final 10.

I'm taking the opportunity to run on behalf of Acts of Hope, a UK charity which has set up and continues to run a school for the benefit of the poorest of the poor in Bangalore, India. There is more background on the website, but Acts of Hope have managed to date to set up and establish a fully fledged and very successful primary school, and are raising money to build a secondary school so that graduates of the primary school have somewhere to go.

The charity is run by family friends, and so I have had the opportunity to follow closely the progress of the great work that Acts of Hope is doing.

Acts of Hope have not arranged my marathon place, and I have not committed to raising a minimum sum for them - I am taking the opportunity to raise money for them solely because I believe strongly that's it's an amazing organisation that makes a direct and significant difference to the lives of some of the least privileged children in Bangalore. Please do have a think about whether this is a cause that you are able and willing to support.

If you have a moment, please do check out the charity's website at www.actsofhope.org.uk. Any questions, please do give me a shout.

Many thanks,

Jon