It's really tough being a tran kid in the UK right now. Not only has the healthcare system basically shut its door on supporting trans people, but there's constant noise in the media from 'gender critical' perspectives that make it feel like your entire existence is up for debate. And then there's the quips from kids at school asking if they could just decide to be a washing machine (yes, this actually happened to my child), people being hostile, unsupportive, telling you you're wrong for existing just as you are. It's a lot. And it can be scary. I watch what my 14 year old has been navigating and it breaks my heart - and they are in the position of having family who loves and accepts them. Many queer, trans, and gender non-conforming youth don't have that.

This is why Step Forward matters so much to be. They've been an absolutely lifeline for my Kiddo. They have a place to just be themselves, surrounded by kids who get it. They've build real self-confidence there, they've made friends going though the same, and have mentors who understand what it's like to be trans and gender-nonconforming in ways that I just don't. They've been able to learn who they are in a space that supports that.

But Step Forward is not just for LGBTQIA+ youth. They are there for all young people in Tower Hamlets who need support, which is particularly important because we live in the borough with the highest rate of child poverty in the UK. Many of the people who access Step Forwards services - whether support groups, counselling, health services, holiday programs, or any of the other completely free services - have literally no other options. As the world becomes increasingly hostile, increasingly divided, and the wealth-gap grows: the kinds of services Step Forward offers are more essential than ever.

I'll be totally honest. I would be doing this running either way. I didn't sign up for the St David's Day Marathon (March 1st), or London Lea Valley 50km (March 21st), or the London2Brighton 100km (May 23rd) to fundraise. I am tacking the fundraising onto running I would be doing otherwise, because I feel really strongly about supporting this centre that has given so much to my child.