Nacoa (The National Association for Children of Alcoholics) is a Bristol based charity founded in 1990 to provide help and support for everyone affected by a parent’s drinking. We believe that every child has the right to a happy childhood and to live a creative and meaningful life but when drink is the family secret they are more likely to experience family violence, neglect and other problems in their own homes.

Funding to support children of alcoholics has been cut recently and this leaves vulnerable children without essential support.

I want to raise not just money but also create more awareness around the topic of growing up with an alcoholic parent.

I myself have grown up with an alcoholic mother, who passed away when I was 18. I learnt early on to not to talk about, not to feel and not to trust anyone but myself as a survival and coping mechanism. As you can imagine children carry this into adulthood and it can affect relationships with friends, partners and many other parts of your life.

I have run longer distances in the past, but this will be a bit of a running comeback and my most important race ever