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This year I have opted to run the Cardiff Half Marathon in support of the NSPCC. After completing my first half marathon in 2021, I was keen to set myself a similar challenge by completing my next half marathon in one of my favourite cities which I am now proud to call my home. However, whilst this started off as a personal challenge for me, I realised from doing my first race that these sorts of events are far bigger than any one individual. Every single participant has their own story and their own reasons for undertaking what is essentially a brutal challenge (I’m yet to even consider the idea of a full marathon!), and whilst those personal goals are important, I can’t help but feel we’re missing a trick if we’re not sharing the challenge with the incredible community around us.

This is when I decided that this time the challenge had to be bigger than myself. I work full time as a secondary school teacher in an area where a lot of children face experiences in their childhood that no child should have to experience. I see the impact this has on young individuals, not only within my classroom, but throughout those crucial years where they prepare for the sort of person they are going to become in adulthood. Some of those individuals are incredibly lucky to receive some amazing support, whether that be through the school, external services, family, or friends. But not all children are that lucky. There will be countless children out there who will never receive access to these services and will be left to deal with situations and experiences that simply no child should face. 

According to the NSPCC, in April 2022 they determined that half a million children in the UK alone suffer some form of abuse every year. 1 in 10 children experience some form of neglect. On average, a child contacts Childline every 25 seconds. I don’t think you need to be a teacher to realise that something is not right for our young people. However, there is hope through incredible charities like the NSPCC. Just by making a small donation, you can ensure that children receive the support they need through a range of services that the NSPCC offer, such as local services, regional hubs, work with schools, Childline, and many more amazing initiatives to help keep children safe and happy.

Whilst running 13.1 miles is a hell of a challenge for someone like me who found a way to miss almost every PE lesson at school between the ages of 14-16, this challenge is nothing compared to the challenges many of our young people face on a daily basis. If I can give up my time to do something that makes even the smallest change towards correcting that, then it’s so worth it. Luckily for you, you can do something even simpler which is just giving a small donation which will be going towards an incredible cause, and it will most importantly guilt trip me into realising that backing out is not an option!

Thanks for taking the time to read through my profile and if you want to get involved in any way, feel free to get in touch or just share this page with those who may wish to donate. Thank you in advance for your support.

Jonny

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