Some of you will remember the summers of 2010 and 2011, when three intrepid oarsmen set off to row the Thames, from Kingston to Oxford and then back again -

Three Men In A Boat 2010,

Three Men In Another Boat 2011

We raised nearly £10,000 for Auditory Verbal UK and in doing so, hopefully gave something back to a wonderful charity that has changed my life and that of my children.

Auditory Verbal UK is a National Charity that teaches deaf children with hearing aids and cochlear implants to listen and speak. After three years of family-based Auditory Verbal therapy, over 80% close the language gap and enter mainstream schools alongside their hearing friends. The charity works directly with around 60 families and reaches out to many more through training programmes for professionals across the UK.

Without the help of Auditory Verbal UK our own daughter Alice, and son Oliver, both of whom have a rare genetic form of deafness called ANSD, would not face such a positive future.

To say thank you yet again to the wonderful team at Auditory Verbal UK, I am planning to waddle my way around the track at Silverstone on 3rd March, competing in the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon. Anyone who knows me knows I am not built for running...

If I could raise my target of £1,500, I would be thrilled and would know that my efforts will help make a real difference to children across the UK for whom Auditory Verbal UK presents their best chance of integrating fully in the hearing world and achieving their potential.

Please support me and Auditory Verbal UK. Every penny really does make a difference.

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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.