With another lockdown underway, London’s children and young people urgently need our support once again. The closure of schools sees families from low income backgrounds face rising challenges in accessing basic necessities. Food insecurity remains a very real threat for the thousands of families in London who are not eligible for free school meal vouchers. The added pressure to purchase essential school equipment, such as laptops and stationery, only adds to this burden.

Currently, there are at least 400,000 children living in food insecurity. Covid-19 is hugely exacerbating these issues, and these figures have likely increased and will likely continue to increase. Kitchen Social, a Mayor’s Fund for London programme, is the largest provider of food for children in London during the school holidays. Working with a network of community organisations across 24 boroughs, in 2020 the programme has served just under half a million meals.

In addition, many young people in London have missed out on the opportunity of work experience and other help as they try and choose a career and find work. The Mayor's Fund is working hard to support 'generation COVID' as they seek to overcome these challenges and try to start their working lives. 

I am rowing a full marathon – 26.2 miles or 42,195m – on a Concept II indoor rower to raise money for the Mayor’s Fund for London, to support their amazing work helping disadvantaged and vulnerable kids across all of London’s boroughs. I am doing this on 24 April, approximately the date the London Marathon would have been without COVID(!)

This is a personal challenge as this will be, by far, my biggest endurance event since having both hips replaced.

Sponsorship of £20 will help to provide eight meals AND home-schooling resources for a family in desperate need of support. This is an extremely challenging time for everyone, so I will be grateful for any amount you can spare to help London’s most vulnerable children.

Learn more about the amazing work of the Mayor’s Fund for London here.