Well hello there, I'm very glad you could take the time to visit this lovely, useful and worthwhile page. I'm guessing if you've arrived here then you already have some idea of what I am attempting, but in case you know nothing of my venture then I can tell you that on October the 7th I'm going to be running the 13.1 miles of the Royal Parks Half Marathon!

'But Simon' I hear you cry 'why on earth would you do something like this'!? The answer is not that I just love London scenery so much that I felt a sudden need to take it all in in one go, if that was the case I would simply have got on a hop on hop off bus tour. In fact the reason I'm doing this is to try to provide aid and support for people in desperate need and to try and lift them out of poverty wherever they might be.

I'm looking to raise at the very least £300 which will go, via Christian Aid, to help many people living in poverty and without reasonable living conditions in Africa particularly and across the world. I have been lucky enough to travel to Malawi and Zambia in Africa and I have seen first hand just how much good can be brought about by simple measures. Whilst I was there I stayed in the Malaria belt and had to be taking incredibly expensive anti malarial tablets every day and sleep every night with a mosquito net to ensure I stayed safe. However, the people of Senga Bay, the area I spent most time in, had no such protection and like much of the rest of Africa malaria was prevalent. The spread of this disease can be significantly hindered by simply purchasing cheap mosquito nets for people to sleep under. It only costs £3 and can genuinely save lives. This is why I am running this half marathon, because the smallest things like a net an create the biggest difference in someone's life.

Just think for a moment, your donation could save a child from Malaria by providing a mosquito net, or equally save a village from dysentery by funding a water pump. How great would that feel? Pretty cracking I think.

If you've been at all moved to donate by what's been said here then please do, because whilst I do enjoy running anyway I would also like to think it might help other people in the world too.

Thank you so much for whatever you give, it means a lot to me and even more to the people it will help.