About me

I promise not to be a fundraising-marathon-running bore, especially in these lean times, but there are economies of scale in doing two in 6 months. I suspect this one will be my last so I ask you again to please dig deep for a good cause... For those of you who want to set me some horrible target, I hope to run it in 3 hours 10 minutes - only a 5 min improvement on my London time but I'm told the bridges feel like mountains!

Continuing the (now topical) theme of supporting disaffected youth in the UK I've decided to raise money for Dandelion Time, a charity started by my Mum and based in Kent.

About Dandelion

Dandelion Time works with children and young people struggling with emotional and behavioural difficulties often caused by traumatic experiences and deprived living conditions. By providing these children with a developmental and therapeutic service within a rural farmstead environment, the charity offers children wholesome, everyday activities and a powerful blend of teaching, human warmth and common sense.

Every day, a dozen or so children, aged from seven to 16, and their parents arrive to spend the morning tending the farm garden, looking after its animals, doing art projects and cooking lunch. Looking after them are two therapists, a farmer, and assorted interns and volunteers. At the end of the morning everyone sits down together to eat a family meal. It's a simple formula but very effective at restoring hope to children and setting them on the path to make a positive contribution.