Hi everyone, I’m excited to share some great news: in April I will be running The London Landmarks Half Marathon for the charity Mencap.

Mencap is an extremely important charity to me, as a Special Educational Needs teacher working in London, I see first-hand how important it is for people with learning disabilities to have a seat at the table and have their voices heard.

In the UK, men with a learning disability will die 20 years younger than the general population, for women that figure is 23 years. If that statistic wasn't upsetting enough, only 23.7% of adults in the UK with a learning disability are currently in a paid job, that is despite 86% of adults surveyed saying they would like paid employment. People with learning disabilities are people too, they still contribute to our society and from my own experience, are some of the brightest and most amazing people that I have had the pleasure of working with.

£25 - Could pay for Mencap's first visit to a family of a newborn baby with a learning disability, who need advice and support.

£50 - Could pay for someone to attend a training session to learn how to use the bus on their own for the first time, so they can be more independent and have the confidence to do more things, like getting a job.

£100 - Could pay for a Makaton language programme training session. This is a form of sign language used to help people who have learning or communication difficulties. As someone who has used this form of signing, this training is vitally important as it may be the only way some parents can communicate with their children and also the only way some children can understand their world.

Any donation, big or small, can make a real difference.

Thank you for your kindness and support.