Last year our boiler broke. No hot water! What a pain, boiling the kettle each time I needed hot water or had to use cold water to wash at the sink or shower to get clean. Then we had last year's hose pipe ban. Another pain, having to use the rainbutt to water the garden, enduring endless trips up and down with the watering can. What out cry at the pollution in our rivers or at the inconvenience of a blocked toilet or the lack of public conveniences. And what to do when the washing machine breaks? Another inconvenience. Surely clean water, decent toilets and the ability to keep clean are something we are all entitled to? My experiences are inconvenient at the worst but enough to make me pause and think. I take clean water for granted, and ease of access to it. I do not have to trek a long way to collect dirty water in order to stay hydrated. But many do. We all need clean water. Along with decent toilets and good hygiene, it’s the foundation for good health, dignity, and a life full of opportunity.

But right now, millions of people are still living without these basic necessities.

For this reason I am putting on my running trainers once again to take part in the Great North Run and hopefully raise money for WaterAid. I do hope you will be able to support me in this and sponsor me. Any sponsorship will be gratefully received.

WaterAid is an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Only by tackling these three essentials in ways that last can people change their lives for good.

Clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene should be a normal part of everyone’s daily life. Without all three, people can’t live dignified, healthy lives. With all three, they can unlock their potential, break free from poverty and change their lives for good.