I started running in the middle of the pandemic last year to get out of the house but also to challenge myself.  However, I have always hated running and would actively choose any other form of exercise but I was persuaded by a close friend to take part in the Couch to 5K.  It started badly and I struggled to run more than a couple of minutes at a time and dreaded the days when I had to run further. However here we are just over a year on, and it is now part of my weekly routine and I have even signed up for the Hampton Court Half Marathon so I guess you could say I caught the running bug I’d heard so much about. 

However what makes this Half Marathon even more special to me is that I am running it on behalf of the fantastic charity I work for called Working Options in Education.  We are a small charity doing big things and support young people Nationally across England and Wales fulfil their potential by developing employability and life skills.  We aim to transform the life chances of young people, by helping them to take early control of their education or career journey and support them to navigate the challenges resulting from the Covid pandemic.  Prioritising the most disadvantaged regions, we are focused on the long-term change in addressing social mobility issues by inspiring young people to break the glass ceiling regardless of their background.  Society needs the potential of young people; early support is the key to unlocking it.

I have been priveleged enough to witness first hand the real difference this charity makes to young people when we took a group of students on set to star in our fundraising film.   This was a fantastic opportunity for them and it was brilliant to know that we were giving them first-hand, real life exposure into the world of media but also showing them that there are opportunities out there if they have the right support and confidence in themselves.  

“Working Options helped open a career path to me that seemed far out of reach from anything I had heard of before. Without Working Options I would not have been afforded the opportunity and introduction to the industry that helped forge the successful career I have today, I am forever grateful and hope the Working Options team can continue to support young people starting their careers after college for the foreseeable future.”  

Not only will this be a huge personal challenge the money raised really is going to a fantastic cause and will make a huge difference so any support is greatly appreciated.

Thanks