Over the past two decades, I’ve completed numerous marathons, including five finishes at South Africa’s legendary Comrades Marathon—an 89km test of endurance, grit, and heart. Running has always been a personal passion, but this year marks a turning point: for the first time, I’m using my love of running to raise funds for a cause that truly matters.

I’m proud to be taking on the London Marathon and running on behalf of the Canon Collins Trust.

As a South African now living in the UK, I’ve seen both the beauty and the challenges of my home country. I’ve seen how access to education can shape lives. It’s not just about earning a degree—it’s about opening doors, building futures, and breaking the cycle of poverty. The Canon Collins Trust helps talented individuals pursue postgraduate studies when financial barriers stand in their way. Many are trailblazers in their families, and the ripple effect of their success reaches far beyond the classroom.

This run is for them—for the students striving to change their communities, and for a future where opportunity isn’t limited by circumstance.

The London Marathon helps to raise vital funds for worthy scholars whose only barrier to higher education and a rightful place in society is financial. Through the Canon Collins Trust's scholarship programme, these extraordinary leaders of tomorrow are often the first in their families to get a degree.

This work began in 1981 when Apartheid divided South Africa and Namibia, leaving black Africans living in poverty and servitude. Today, even though Apartheid has officially ended, there are numerous injustices remaining.

The Canon Collins Trust is committed to fighting such injustices by supporting socially engaged postgraduate study at South African universities, because it is at this level that scholars can effect change in society. Mandela himself was one such Canon Collins scholar who has left an undeniable mark on this world.

Please support our brave runners who are playing their part towards meaningful, generational change!