I have set myself a personal challenge for 2023 - to raise at least £2,023 by running 2,023km.

Given the turmoil the world has been going through these last few years and the cost of living crisis that's constantly in the news, people are suffering. Poverty can take so many different forms: from food and fuel poverty, to not having a place to call home, to less obvious problems like children not having a suitable place to sleep - leading to not being able to concentrate at school.

My objectives are:

- To showcase smaller charities making a big impact in their communities.
- To raise awareness of the different types of poverty.
- To educate myself on the scale of the problem.
- To inspire others to take up running and take on marathons.
- To elevate my own health and fitness to new levels.

I have chosen four charities to support as they all mean something to me. If you're able to make a donation, please do - and if not please take a look at the great work they're doing to support people in so many different ways. Perhaps you can volunteer your time and expertise to support them.

- Advantage Africa supports people affected by poverty, disability and HIV to improve their education, health and incomes. Their work helps some of East Africa’s most vulnerable people to overcome prejudice, help themselves and build a better future for their families and communities.

- The Bus Shelter MK provides shelter, food, and support for their residents, who are rough sleepers looking to make the right progress towards a life of independence away from the streets.

- Northampton Hope tackles hardship and exclusion. They help people experiencing problems of disadvantage and marginalisation, including hardship, homelessness, addiction and mental health. As well as giving practical support, they focus on helping people to help themselves.

- Zarach delivers beds and basics to children in poverty. This helps families in crisis rise up from surviving to thriving. Eat. Sleep. Learn.

I will be posting updates throughout the year and will provide more detail on each charity, perhaps even interview their founders.

To meet the running targets, I am running four marathons, one for each quarter/season:

1. The Woodlands, Texas, USA - Completed March 4th in 4:49:35
2. Milton Keynes, UK - Completed May 1st in 4:47:30
3. Richmond, UK - September 10th
4. Amsterdam, The Netherlands - October 15th

I will take part in other races including half marathons and the MK 24 Midsummer Run - June 17th-18th.

For context, I ran 984km in 2022 and 1,201km in 2021 so this will be a real challenge. As of June 30th I'm on 754km leaving me with approx. 6.9km to run per day for the rest of the year!

Come and join me for a run!