In 2020 I'm going to run the Manchester Marathon, and I want to raise funds for something a little different. Many of you will know the credit union sector is close to my heart, and the Credit Union Foundation (CUF) exists to help credit unions thrive in the UK. My wife told me that people don't normally donate to financial institutions, and that if the CUF is a charity then I should make that clear. This was a reasonable point.

THE CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION IS A CHARITY.

There.

Here's what they aim to do:

• To advance education amongst the public in matters pertaining to credit unions and their potential in relieving poverty
  
• To provide education and training in the knowledge and skills pertinent to the establishment and management of credit unions;
• To relieve poverty and need amongst communities in the United Kingdom and throughout the World which are in need of such relief, by advising persons within those communities how to establish and manage credit unions.

Those aren't my words, clearly. Never going to use the word "pertinent". But you get the point - credit unions do cool stuff, but only around 2% of the UK population use them compared to nearly 40% in the US.

So, I want your cash to help support them. The funds I raise will inevitably go to something interesting and worthwhile - not just ensuring I put myself through 4 or so hours of needless physical discomfort.

You can find out more about credit unions here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHUyebXmS2w