46,300 children are estimated to experience the death of a parent each year. That’s 46,300 children whose lives will change immeasurably forever. As one in every UK classroom will experience the death of someone close by the time they reach 16 years old, this is a very real and present problem facing young people today.

I am one of those children. I lost my mum, Sandra Johnson, at a very young age and know just how hard it is growing up without one of your parents.

Grief Encounter is an amazing charity that has been providing free, professional and specialist bereavement support for nearly two decades. Its mission is to give every child and young person access to the best possible support following the death of someone close. Working closely with individuals, families and schools, the charity offers a way through the anxiety, fear and isolation so often caused by grief. As Grief Encounter is an open access-charity, it is funded entirely by the generosity of its supporters.

That's why I am putting myself through my paces and embarking on a gruelling challenge during August. I'll be walking more than 35 marathons in 31 days - the equivalent of walking two million steps over 1000 miles. Each day I will aim to reach 46.3km steps, an homage to the 46,300 children facing parental loss each year.

Whilst I have invested a full year of training, I am very aware how hard this challenge will be. Any support you can give, no matter how small, will spur me on every step of the way to raise money for this incredible charity.