Severn Hospice is with families from the moment they're referred to its care for as long as they need it, and it does this every day, all day for anyone in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales who needs that help.

It does this for them for free, but it is not without cost and it can't happen without you. For every £1 you donate, the hospice will spend 87p directly on care – and use the remaining 13p to make another £1.

Last year, all those individual donations meant the hospice could be there when it mattered for 3,000 local families.

I live near the Severn Hospice in Telford and often run past it. We are very lucky to have such a support facility near us so I run because it is a chance to support this amazing local charity that is so important to the community where I call home. I watched my Nan be cared for, have witnessed the huge support given to friends and friends of friends but it is my Mum, who passed at the start of June this year who I will be thinking about both during and after the marathon. The hospice enabled my Mum to pass peacefully at home, just as she wanted, and I am so very grateful for every phone call and every bit of advice the hospice gave.

Alongside all the training is the myriad of fundraising that is vital for the Hospice. I'm focused on getting sponsorship and will happily sell body parts for advertising space - I'll even get a tattoo if someone pays enough!! Alongside this JustGiving page, I am blessed to have my wife and 4 children support me and who are looking forward to all the local coffee morning, bake sales and car boots that will enable me to smash right through my fundraising target!!