Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I will be raising money to support the amazing work of the National Autistic Society as a charity that is very close to the heart of our family. 

Although I have ran marathons before, I have always been quite overwhelmed by the idea of the London Marathon…I mean, it is massive! I am a little Country kid and the big city honestly terrifies me! 

But this year, after discovering that our Daughter Alice is Autistic and learning of the challenges this presents, I have been inspired to be brave and take on this iconic race.

Over the last 18 months we have learned so much about autism and the daily challenges that being neurodiverse presents. Alice has been brave for an incredibly long time, trying to fit into a world that is overwhelming and confusing. Learning what she deals with each day makes a marathon seem easy!

The journey that Alice has been on to this discovery has been exhausting for her. Navigating her way through each day can be super challenging with sensory sensitivities triggering emotional reactions that lead to physical and mental exhaustion. This has been her life each day but until very recently, none of us have understood why and as a consequence she has tried to hide her true self and pretend to be like everyone else. I can’t express enough how damaging this “masking” can be. 

Sadly, Alice’s journey is not in any way unusual or unique, particularly amongst autistic females due to the gender bias with regards to diagnosis criteria and the different presentations amongst male and females. This can lead to diagnosis later in life by which time various mental health and/or behavioural labels are likely to have been gathered. 

There is still so much to do to increase opportunities, reduce social isolation and build a brighter future for autistic people. With your help, we can make it happen.