This June I'm taking part in the 100 Miles for Families challenge. I'm doing it a bit differently though - 𝗜'𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟯𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀.

I plan on doing a lot of the challenge on my exercise bike, so I've decided to set myself a harder challenge - ten miles a day every day throughout June. Even my birthday. Even Emmy's birthday. Even Paul McCartney’s birthday.

I'm not just getting away with sitting on an exercise bike. I'm going to start couch to 5k for the hundredth time. You wouldn't think it, but before I broke my knee I ran a lot. Never far, but very often. Let's try and get back to it and raise some money to help children and families.

Why am I doing this?

In just over a year working for Spurgeons, the most memorable day I've had was a visit to Winchester prison. Walking the wings, chatting to some of the men in there and seeing the surroundings will forever stay in my mind. Despite that, my abiding memory was of a team of brilliant women who are dedicated to supporting those men and making the prison a place where families and children feel welcome and, ultimately, doing what they can to keep those children feeling loved and secure.

They go above and beyond - family days, visits from Father Christmas and a real live donkey (shout out to Pedro), homework clubs where children can come and visit. It's phenomenal and it only happens through Spurgeons. That's what I want to help happen.

More than 192,000 children are affected by imprisonment in the UK right and the average round-trip for a family visiting their father in prison is 100 miles.

The journey is long, costly, and emotionally draining—but staying connected is vital. Maintaining family ties has been shown to reduce reoffending by 39%, giving children the stability they need and offering hope for a better future.

What your donation will do:

£10 could go towards pencil cases and stationary sets for children attending homework club.

£20 could help us to arrange a recorded bedtime story from a dad to their child.

£56 would pay for a Spurgeons counselling session for a child affected by imprisonment.