I’m running the Great Scottish Run half marathon to raise £1,000 for The Yard—a charity that makes an enormous difference to my son Lewis and our family.

Lewis has severe autism, and we regularly visit The Yard in Glasgow. It gives him something every child deserves: a safe place to play, explore and be himself, without judgement. For families like ours, having somewhere you know your child is safe, understood and welcome means more than I can properly put into words.

Honestly, I don’t know what we’d do without it, especially during the summer holidays. Support can be incredibly difficult to access, and charities like The Yard fill a gap that families feel every single day.

This will be my second half marathon for charity. Running has become an important way of looking after my own mental health, but finding the time and energy to exercise alongside caring for a child with complex needs isn’t easy. Often, getting out of the door is the hardest part.

Having a challenge to work towards helps me keep going. It gives me a reason to make time for my health, which helps me be a better parent to Lewis and my other children.

There’s something personal in the challenge, too. Lewis faces situations every day that can be overwhelming and uncomfortable for him. Choosing to push myself outside my own comfort zone is a small way of responding to that—it gives me somewhere to put that energy and a chance to do something useful for the people who support him.

I’m hoping to raise £1,000 to help The Yard continue providing that space for Lewis and other children with disabilities, and that support for the families around them.

If you can donate, I’d be hugely grateful. If you can’t, sharing this page would mean a lot too.

Thank you for supporting me—and, more importantly, The Yard.

Stephen