Well, the first, last and only time I ran the London Marathon was in 2003. It followed a rather boozy evening with my younger brother, Charles,  just before Christmas. I said yes to ensure I would fit into my wedding dress a few weeks after the race. Since then my trainers have not seen the light of day.

Between then and now I have had four children and been to the gym a handful of times.

This Christmas I blame Berry Bros perfectly ordinary claret!! Charles was once again present!! This time, however, he told me the story of the Lawson family. A lovely family who were struck with tragedy when they lost their beloved son, Angus, just before his second birthday.

Despite their own grief the parents  found the strength to establish this trust in memory of Angus. They found a way in which other children could benefit from their son. Their mission is to lessen the suffering of children worldwide. In addition the Trust offers support to families and children who are coping with grief when a close loved one suddenly dies or is dying.

This family story touched me enough to go out and buy a new pair of trainers, a treadmill for those rainy days and download a beginners 16 weeks training programme to running the marathon!!

Despite gluteus tendinosis, iliotibial band syndrome and shin splints I am persevering and will succeed in my mission. I deal with illness and death on a regular basis at work however it is wonderful to see that those who suffer grief themselves can find the strength to support others in need.

Please help support the Angus Lawson Memorial Trust .

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.