I'm running the Hackney Half Marathon to raise funds for https://codeyourfuture.io/ - a coding school for refugees & disadvantaged people, helping them learn key skills for tech jobs.

CYF is a UK based non-profit organisation that trains some of the most deprived members of society to become web developers and helps them to find work in the tech industry.

CYF students are trained in full-stack web development by volunteers from the tech industry, putting a strong emphasis on collaboration and product development through tech projects.

CYF graduates work in companies like FT, BBC, STV, Ticketmaster and startups like Adzuna, Sensible Object, tlr and WeGotPop.

If you know me, you know my running story but here's a quick 'run' down (excuse the pun). Before lockdown I wasn't running because my last attempt at a half marathon was successful in terms of completion, but a total failure for my knees. I had years of physio and failed attempts to get running again and in the end just gave up.

When lockdown happened I gave myself a chance to build back up from nothing and focus on strength and gradually increased my training. And it worked. So here I am running another official half marathon and hoping my knees don't give in again.