As you may, or may not, know, my midlife crisis has seen me participate in dozens of 10k's, 10 milers, half marathons and even one marathon.
I have only ever asked for sponsorship on one previous occasion, two years ago, so I would be delighted if you could sponsor me this time because I've been made aware of a small charity doing incredible things in my local area.
So, I am not raising money for one of the BIG charities, but I am raising money for a small local charity which has a significant impact on so many lives.
A friend of mine works at First Steps in Bath and told me about the fantastic work they do for families from deprived areas of Bath. It is not just a nursery and the impact of the work they do is tremendous:
Here is a snapshot of the wonderful work they do:
Provision of child care and education in an area of need
Provision of free, hot, delicious, nutritious lunches to children from low income families
Support for families to make changes that impact on the wellbeing of children and enhance education outcomes, such as baby massage, bumps and baby group, stay and play groups, trips and outings, healthy eating courses
Encouragement for local people to work in their local setting, offering good terms and conditions of employment, modelling that families are better off in work and the importance of the Early Years in a child's life
Volunteer training to rise confidence and aspiration and support opportunities to volunteer in Early Years Education settings and encourage future engagement with training and employment.