When my lovely colleague, Bob Cuffe, left Darlington Building Society after ten years' service, I wanted to pay tribute to him and also to thank him for the wonderful friendship and support he's always given to me.  How best to do this?  The answer didn't lie in a clock or a pen, but in a pair of running shoes.

Let me explain  by quoting from some of Bob's recent Tweets: 

"NEAS look after my son Liam - aged 30 - he's severely autistic and non verbal.

He's also the love of my life.

Before he went to NEAS, Liam was in a really poor state: his first response to stress is to self harm. He put himself in A&E. He looked as if he'd been beaten up.

And then in 2016, NEAS came to our rescue. Liam is in a house with three others and he's looked after quite magnificently. He's safe, he's loved - he's happy. The staff at NEAS look after him so well - they're our angels. 

We no longer need to fight for Liam - and we no longer need to worry about his future."

And it's not just Liam; there are many like him, who benefit from NEAS's wonderful support. That's why I'm proud to be taking on the Great North Run to raise as much money as I can for this exceptional charity.

Thank you very much in advance for any donation, whether big or small, that you make to this amazing charity. I may not be fast these days, but I am very stubborn, and I am determined to complete this half marathon! I am proud to run for Liam and those like him :-)