On Sunday 12th October I will be running the Oxford Half Marathon for Pegasus Theatre.

Over the past few years, neurodiversity has played an enormous part in my life, and the impact it has had on my son and school.

Organisations like Pegasus Theatre play a vital role in encouraging young people to have a creative voice, and give them a safe space from other struggles they may be experiencing in their lives.

In 2024-25 they welcomed an incredible 16,000 into their programmes, with 20% of participants being neurodiverse. Across all their classes, they have free spaces for those whose families would struggle to afford the fees and where extra support is needed, additional trained staff undertake 1:1 support to ensure the young person gets as much out of the course as possible. They have a number of courses specifically for vulnerable young people, many of whom are neurodiverse.

I took my son, who faces his own struggles, to see a Christmas show. Unlike most theatre productions, it was a relaxed and calming performance, perfectly built for a small child who is overwhelmed easily. He was able to stay and enjoy the whole show, and even participated on stage with the performers. His little face was a joy to behold!

On a personal level, this run will not be easy. I am not a runner; I didn’t start running until February this year. 2025 has been a challenging year which has made showing up for training that much harder. I KNOW that all our living costs are shooting up and charity donations are not a priority but anything you can donate would be very much appreciated, and all these training runs and aches and pains won’t have been in vain!

THANK YOU ❤️