I had no desire to do a marathon, but that was before I understood the work of the Matt Hampson Foundation.

My good friend Graham Lee had a very successful horseracing career before a spinal injury in 2023. Alongside his wife Becky and their family, Graham had a lot to deal with after his accident but, as soon as he left hospital, he visited the Foundation’s Get Busy Living Centre in Leicestershire. Matt was there to meet him, ready to talk, ready to listen and ready to offer support.

Matt and the team have been at Graham and Becky’s side ever since, offering physical and emotional support, showing how to ‘get busy living’ after serious injury.

I have seen how Matt and the team help the charity’s beneficiaries and, when he announced that he was entering the 2026 London Marathon, I wanted to show my own appreciation and decided to participate too. Together, we are trying to raise awareness of the Foundation and raise the funds required to help their work in changing lives.