Normally I’m best known for taking a brisk walk from a pub in Plaistow to try to make the kick-off at West Ham, but now I’m donning my serious running trainers to complete the 2015 London Marathon in aid of a charity that means a huge amount to me and my family. 

The charity I am honoured to fund raise for is one very close to my heart, First Step in Hornchurch. First Step is a local support group for pre-school children with disabilities and special needs.

Never did I think I would be a parent to a disabled child, but when my second son Finlay was born in 2013 he was quickly diagnosed with multiple medical issues, including a congenital heart condition for which he required open-heart surgery at 6 months old, he was then diagnosed with the genetic condition Williams Syndrome, throughout this First Step have been there for us in so many ways. From helping us come to terms with the initial diagnosis, to providing a support network of parents who are going through similar experiences, to providing play therapy and music therapy which enable Finlay to discover the world at his own pace and not least of all the support they give to Finlay’s older brother Connor through their excellent Siblings Club. 

So because of their support for us and so many other local families, I’ll be supporting them in my pledge to run, walk, limp, crawl through the 26.2 miles across London and raise much needed funds for First Step to continue providing the excellent service they do and make it that little bit easier for parents like me to deal with their child’s diagnosis.