Have you seen Adolescence? Of course, you have. EVERYONE in the world has seen Adolescence.

The first thing to say here is that although this is not a post about the TV and film industry (it’s a post about the real-life issues behind Adolescence), it’s worth briefly celebrating a TV show once again impacting our nation’s public debate. Just like Mr Bates versus the Post Office.

Yes, Adolescence has made us think about knife crime.

Yes, it’s made us think about the communication between parents and children.

Yes, it’s made us think about the vulnerability of those children online.

And just like Mr Bates versus the Post Office, it’s fantastic that art is leading the conversation on lasting social change, leaving politicians, who should be setting the agenda, struggling to keep up with the lessons learned from a TV programme.

However, just like Mr Bates versus the Post Office, the real-life scandal behind Adolescence, namely knife crime, has been known about for years.

The concern is always that as a show fades from memory, so do the issues behind it. How many people know that many of those affected by the Horizon IT scandal still haven’t received the compensation they believed they were entitled to?

Similarly, many of the families of knife crime victims still have to live with its consequences every day.

Foremost in my thoughts is a friend of mine who I met playing football locally at Hambledon FC. His son was murdered nearly two years ago at a party in West Sussex.

I don’t feel it’s my place to tell his story, so here is Martin Cosser, father of Charlie, to tell you all about him.

It’s because of Martin and the charity he’s set up in his son’s name “Charlie’s Promise”, that I’m going to run the Edinburgh Half Marathon on May 25th and I’m inviting you all to pledge some money to help this important organisation. An uncomfortable morning in Scotland’s capital for me and my aged bones, but hopefully a lucrative one for Martin. So please dig deep. Please give generously.

Every pound helps spread awareness and helps fund education to combat this horrific epidemic.

Do it for your children. Do it for other children. Do it for Charlie.