Hi everyone

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my fundraising page, I really appreciate it!

Having repressed the pain of running the Paris and London marathons within two-weeks of each other last year (see my profile picture for evidence of how tough London was and a face that says “whhyyy?...”), I’m ready to run TWO marathons AGAIN this Autumn! I'm running the Chicago Marathon on 13 October and the NYC Marathon on 3 November and will be dedicating my Summer to training. This may sound nicer than training in the Winter but it means I will be missing out on spontaneous after-work drinks in pub gardens and hot, lazy Sundays spent lounging in the garden/at the park/by the lido. Think of me while I run 20+ miles in 20+ degree heat!

As they are US marathons, the list of qualifying charities are US-based too and I have chosen to fundraise for Junior Achievement of New York. JA New York supports over 90,000 students from reception to secondary school in NYC, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley, many of them from underprivileged backgrounds and living in difficult circumstances. JA New York helps children by providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to make positive academic and financial choices, plan for the future and achieve economic success. Through its network of over 7,200 volunteers, who share their life experiences and expertise, act as role models and provide valuable mentorship, the organisation delivers free workshops in topics such as financial literacy, career planning and starting a business as a young entrepreneur.

I chose JA New York because it just makes sense to me to teach children this essential knowledge at a critical moment in their lives and start building their confidence in these areas early on, especially those who may not otherwise have the means, guidance or even self-belief to aspire to academic and career success. Through JA New York, the students are encouraged, inspired and empowered to take ownership of their financial security and achieve their full potential in the working world.

If you would like to learn more about JA New York’s work and the people it supports, here are some helpful links:

• JA New York website: https://www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-ny/
• JA New York YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MYJANYTV

My goal is to raise $2,500 for JA New York by 3 November and I would be incredibly grateful for your support. Please help me help this organisation transform the lives of its students by making a donation – any amount will be hugely appreciated and will certainly make all the hours spent training instead of enjoying the Summer worth it.

Thank you in advance for your donations!

_________________________________________

Just a couple of notes on the donating process - there is no need to add a phone number, so if you are having issues with adding a valid number, please refresh and try again without adding a number at all. And for all my colleagues, there is no need to tick the"Matching Donation" box as once I have finished fundraising I will apply to get the whole amount matched.