Short Intro

On 26 April 2026, I’ll be running the London Marathon in support of Veterans With Dogs, as part of a wider Veterans & Reserves Network fundraising campaign.

This page is my individual contribution — with all funds raised feeding directly into our main campaign goal of £20,000 to help sponsor a service dog for a veteran in need.

👉 Main campaign page:

https://www.justgiving.com/team/supporting-veterans-with-dogs

Why I'm Doing This

This marathon is part of a team‑led campaign driven by members of a Veterans & Reserves Network, alongside colleagues and supporters, all committed to giving back to the Armed Forces community.

Veterans With Dogs is the UK’s first and leading charity dedicated to training and partnering assistance dogs with current and former members of the British Armed Forces living with mental health difficulties.

They specialise in task‑specific training to support individuals diagnosed with conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety, helping them rebuild confidence, independence, and connection in everyday life.

Every dog they place is more than a companion — they’re a lifeline.

Why This Challenge (For Me)

If you know me, you’ll know that running was never my thing when I was serving — and with my knees being a bit older than they were 9 years ago when left, this is very much outside my comfort zone.

The London Marathon is 26.2 miles of physical and mental effort, requiring months of training and commitment. It won’t be easy, and my knees will definitely remind me of that along the way — but that’s exactly why this matters.

This challenge is about pushing myself to help support veterans who face far greater challenges every day.

How This Fits the Bigger Picture

This marathon is the second confirmed challenge in a growing series of fundraising events.

The campaign kicks off earlier in April with Jenni taking on the Brighton & Hove 10k, followed by my marathon, with more endurance events, team challenges, and social fundraising activities planned.

Rather than running lots of separate fundraisers, we’re building everything into one main campaign — so every donation contributes to a bigger, long‑term goal.

👉 You can view the full campaign here:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/supporting-veterans-with-dogs

Our Shared Goal

Our initial campaign target is £20,000.

Reaching this milestone would allow us to sponsor a Veterans With Dogs service dog, supporting its training and placement with a veteran who needs it most.

Every donation on this page goes directly towards that shared goal.

Thank You

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting this challenge.

Whether you donate, share the page, or simply follow the journey, you’re helping Veterans With Dogs continue their life‑changing work — one wet nose at a time.