My Story

I have never run a full marathon. But I've sure completed a few halfs, and I've stood real close to the London marathon at least twice. It looks tough. Relentless running, big ol' blisters and the nagging fear that at any moment your nipple-guards might fall off. Hmm...

I've always wanted a go at the full distance and, with a few rejections from the London marathon behind me, I've cast my gaze further afield. Quite a way further afield. To equitorial Ghana and their annual 26.2 mile, +30°C, hot and humid trudge-fest: The Accra International Marathon on 27th October.

Why Ghana? For approaching 3 years I have supported, volunteered and worked for the fabulous, one-of-a-kind Humanitas Charity. They believe that no matter the circumstances you may have suffered through in your life, everyone has a right to education, healthcare and a family.

For 19 years they have worked to provide these essentials to vulnerable people across the globe, which includes qualified doctors providing medical care in refugee camps in Europe and the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. And yet, Humanitas are not content simply with short-term crisis relief, life-saving though it is; they also affect permanent change in the lives of those they support. Their Safe Homes project in Romania creates - from scratch - loving homes for abandoned infants who have suffered in institutions with appalling conditions. The project provides 24/7, round-the-clock familial support for disabled and disadvantaged children in safe homes the charity staff themselves. Their foster-care programme also creates loving homes. In Ghana, they have built and staffed a primary school in the remote, rural village of Ayensuako, where 200+ eager pupils get access to an education they would never have had otherwise. This year they plan on building a secondary school.

I've been grateful to learn so much about the wonderful work they do and am excited to take on this mammoth marathon challenge to help fund their future projects. They have literally transformed the long-term prospects of hundreds of individuals and will go on to transform hundreds more... with our help!

Please give whatever you can to this great cause. In the meantime, I have hot weather training trips and a warm-up marathon in Bath to navigate first. Oh, and if you have any spare sun-cream knocking about, I wouldn't mind a drop or two.

Thanks!

James xx