My colleague, Hannah Beard, asked if anyone would join her on The Great Bristol Run on 19th September for the excellent 1625 Independent People charity. I asked myself if there was any reason not to, so I'm running.

I was born and raised in Bristol. You may know I was lucky enough to have a great and supportive family giving me a platform to start adulthood. I've met Bristolians who were not as lucky and so I'm glad 1625IP is able to help some of them.

I've done a few 5km park runs before, but nothing like this. Training is not going to plan, having had a knee ligament injury and other impediments. I am in training though, and pushing myself hard enough that it hurts.

Thank you for reading this, and if you do add your support then thank you on behalf of those young people of Bristol to whom we are giving a leg up.