So I've been eyeing up this Marathon thing for a while now and finally decided to give myself a little push and do it! This October I will be running the Bilbao Night Marathon in Spain to raise money for SIFA Fireside, a Birmingham based charity that supports homeless people and those vulnerable to loosing their home.

Homelessness in the UK is a massive but underrepresented issue with nearly 3600 people sleeping rough every single night. With a homelessness rate 4 times higher than the national average, Birmingham struggles even more to support vulnerable adults. However this support is sorely needed with 44% of those experiencing homelessness facing mental health issues (almost twice the rate of the general population) and an average life expectancy of only 43-47 years.

The fact that most people avoid homeless people as they go about their day seems to be mainly due to a feeling of helplessness and guilt. I am fundraising for SIFA Fireside because I am convinced that everyone can do something to help. It doesn't have to be giving an arm and a leg but an action as simple as making eye contact with a homeless person or stopping to have a chat can make a huge difference to people's lives and sense of self worth. This is what my fundraiser is supposed to create awareness for and even if you do not donate to the cause, I hope you still go away feeling that you do have the ability to help.

My target for the race is to complete it in 4 hours (240 minutes), which is why I have set £240 as my fundraising target. I myself will be donating £1 of my own money for every minute that I manage to beat my time by. If you like what I'm doing and/or want to see me suffer a fair bit in the next couple of months, a donation would be appreciated (be it the equivalent of a meal deal or a transatlantic flight, any amount is welcome). Of course you can also join me in putting forward some money for every minute that I beat my goal by.

Have a cracking summer and happy donating!

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.