I feel incredibly honoured to have been selected by Cornwall MIND to run the London Marathon in 2026 - something I’ve dreamed of doing for many years - in support of a cause that has impacted my family and I over the years. We've experienced several challenges throughout my life, and this run represents far more than just a bucket-list goal.

I'm running with purpose. For something far bigger than myself. I’m running to raise as much money as possible for an incredible mental health charity - one that is changing lives every single day.

Obviously, this challenge will never be easy, but I’m determined to push through every mile of training, every obstacle, every late night and early morning, to prove to myself - and others - what’s possible when you refuse to give up.

People often ask, “Why a marathon?” or “Why Cornwall MIND?” For me, this run is deeply personal. It’s the final chapter of a story that began many years ago, not just for me personally but for my whole family.

Although I wasn’t born in Cornwall, I moved here at 14 from Berkshire. Our family had personally experienced the damage a mental health crisis can inflict on life’s status quo, and we needed a fresh start, where you could be yourself without always feeling judged.

Cornwall had always been our family’s ‘happy place’. We’d visited often, and we had relatives here. But more than anything, it felt like somewhere we could finally begin to heal, and without the worry of seeing others struggling, I realised that I needed help with my own mental wellbeing.

Not long after the move, at 15 years old, I weighed nearly 100 kilograms. I’d always been a bigger lad, often making jokes about myself before anyone else could - a defence mechanism. But behind closed doors, I was angry and ashamed of who I was. I struggled deeply with self-worth for many years, and still occasionally do.

When COVID hit, I decided to make a change. I started using my daily 30 minutes of exercise to get outside and move. Slowly, it became a habit, and over two years, I managed to lose 30 kilograms.

But my journey wasn’t just physical.

Even after losing the weight, I continued to face intense mental health struggles. I’d assumed that getting fitter would make me happier - but it didn’t. In fact, I often felt worse. I told myself I was “happier fat” and punished myself for feeling that way. At my lowest points, I lashed out; physically and emotionally. I know now I hadn’t processed the past issue and had not been able to deal with or express my own emotions correctly. I hated myself and the world around me. I just wanted everything to stop.

That’s when I knew I needed real help. I was lost, overwhelmed, and heading down a dangerous path.

Through support - especially talking therapy - and over time, I began to heal. And somewhere along the way, I re-discovered running. This time, not to burn calories, but to escape way from all other issues for a small amount of time.

Running became more than exercise. It became therapy. It became my lifeline. It helped me grow, find clarity, and mature as a man. I’d use it to process feelings, relieve stress and get out of my own negative thinking loops - something I still turn to when I need to.

Now, I want to use it to help others too.

That’s why I’m fundraising for an incredible mental health charity that’s doing vital work across Cornwall - supporting people who are silently struggling, just like I was. Every single donation, no matter the size, helps someone gain access to the help they need.

It has been a dream of mine to run the marathon, raising money for a fantastic cause, ever since I started to feel so passionately about mental health.

Like I said before it won’t be easy, especially as my running has tailed off as I’m in a good place mentally - so this will be a huge challenge but one I’m excited for.

So, if you’re able, please donate anything you can. Help me give back to the county that unknowingly helped my family in lots of ways and helped shape me into the person I am today - all by doing the very thing that gave me strength.

Let’s do this together. Thank you so much for all your support. ❤️