Hi, I’m Tia - and in September 2026 I’ll be running my first ever marathon, and my first World Major Marathon, in Berlin. I’m running for Alcohol Change UK, a charity whose work has become deeply personal to me.

I first reached out to Alcohol Change UK over a year ago. My hope then was simple: to run for my big brother, Alex, and to inspire him as he fought so courageously to overcome addiction, even on the days when trying felt impossible.

At the end of November 2025, my brother sadly lost his battle with addiction. His loss has left an Alex shaped hole in all our hearts. Those who knew of him, loved him. He was funny, lived loudly, and was loved by friends and family who would have done absolutely anything to ease the burdens he carried.

Addiction is not a moral failing. It is not a lack of love, strength, or willpower. It is an illness - one that thrives in silence and shame. Alcohol Change UK works to break that silence. They support people and families affected by alcohol harm, push for better policy, challenge stigma, and campaign for a society where fewer lives are cut short like Alex’s.

So, I’m running Berlin for him and those like him.

For the battles he fought.

For those still fighting.

For the families holding on and fighting for help, change and support with everything they have.

And for a future where fewer lives are lost to this cruel disease.

If you can donate, whether it’s £2 or £20, it will mean more than you could ever know. Every donation helps Alcohol Change UK continue their vital work.

I wasn’t ready to exist in a world without my big brother, but so I shall. Every step I take in Berlin will be in Alex’s name, and in the hope another little sister or little brother doesn’t have to lose their big brother.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading and for supporting this cause. And thank you to Alcohol Change UK, for giving me this opportunity to honour my brother and share his story, hopefully raising some awareness around Alcohol Addiction along the way.

💙 For Alex.

About Alcohol Change UK

We are Alcohol Change UK. We work for a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol.

We are not anti-alcohol; we are for alcohol change. We are for a future in which people drink as a conscious choice, not a default; where the issues which lead to alcohol problems – like poverty, mental health issues, homelessness – are addressed; where those of us who drink too much, and our loved ones, have access to high-quality support whenever we need it, without shame or stigma.

How your fundraising/donations can help:

* A donation of £20 could support around 20 people reduce their drinking through Dry January®.

* £30 could help us develop and deliver more training for front line workers and improve support for dependent drinkers.

* £40 could cover the costs of supporting 16 people for six months to reduce their drinking through our Try Dry® app.