On 27th September, I'm running the Robin Hood Half Marathon to raise money for the National Society for Education, Mentoring and Media (NSEMM) - a charity I co-founded and serve as a trustee.

NSEMM began when two sixth-form students in Kent noticed their peers struggling to afford the extra support they needed to succeed. What started as a YouTube channel called Tutor Eagle and a resource hub has grown into something much bigger: a national charity built on a straightforward belief that a young person's access to quality education should never depend on their family's income.

That belief is backed up by the evidence. Research shows that while nearly a third of pupils from the wealthiest families access private tutoring, only around one in eight from the poorest families can afford it. Disadvantaged pupils are now almost twenty months behind their peers by the age of sixteen, and that gap is still growing.

NSEMM's response is a community model that proves there's another way. Since 2020, thousands of hours of tutoring have been delivered, and families have collectively saved tens of thousands of pounds compared to market rates. More than two thirds of the students supported come from low-income households.

Today, NSEMM works across the UK, partnering with schools, libraries, and community organisations to provide free and affordable tutoring, mentoring, and skills development. Any donations will go directly to NSEMM's Community Education Fund, which exists to make tutoring sessions more affordable and accessible for young people who need them most.

Building this organisation from the ground up has reinforced something I believe deeply: education is one of the most powerful forces for change we have. If you'd like to be part of that, I'd love your support.