Story:

Hi everyone, thanks for visiting my page.

What I’m doing:

As a passionate dyslexia assessor and founder of my company, Dyslexia Portsmouth Ltd, and Head of Dyslexia at Mayville High School, I am thrilled to be running the 2024 London Marathon on behalf of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity.

What is dyslexia:

Dyslexia influences 6.3 million people in the UK, equalling 10% of the
population. It is a genetic difference in an individual’s ability to learn and process information. As a result, dyslexic individuals have differing abilities, with strengths in creative, problem-solving, and communication skills and challenges with spelling, reading, and memorising facts. Dyslexia can also often co-occur with other specific learning difficulties (SpLDs).

Dyslexics have a lot to offer to the world (Richard Branson, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo Da Vinci are all famous dyslexics). However, if left undiagnosed and unsupported, dyslexia can have a devastating impact on an individual’s life as it can reduce the ability to learn, self-esteem, and overall life chances: pupils with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties are more likely to be excluded from school than their peers and youth offending institutes have dyslexia rates between 31 and 56 percent which is much higher than the prevalence in the general population. Recent studies suggest that the
percentage of dyslexics in the adult prison population could be over 50%.

My personal story

In my role as a dyslexia assessor, I regularly come across young people and adults who struggled with reading and spelling throughout their schooling. Although signs of dyslexia were clear and often voiced throughout this period, it was not until college, university, or the workplace that they received a diagnostic assessment for dyslexia and were given the support that they required to reach their potential.

By running the 2024 London Marathon for the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, I hope to raise £2500 to help the charity work with schools to provide them with the necessary tools to help identify dyslexia at the earliest possible opportunity and provide them with the resources needed to thrive.

What does Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity provide?

The Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity leads the way in providing specialist support to children, young people, and adults with dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) to remove barriers that they face in learning and life. This means ensuring individuals have the technology and techniques to assist their spelling, reading, grammar, memory, and organisation, thus helping them believe in themselves and achieve success on their own terms. The Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity supports individuals and organisations by providing diagnostic assessments, skills support, and dyslexia awareness training. There is no government funding for dyslexia, despite its lifelong impact. Fundraising is vital to ensure in-depth assessment and tuition are available to anyone with dyslexia, including lower-income families and schools in disadvantaged areas.

Thank you so much for your support!