David Baker

On Sunday 2 October 2022, I will be running the London Marathon for the Lord’s Taverners.

This will be the third time I have run a marathon for the Lord’s Taverners. It is a wonderful organisation, which works all around the UK and beyond to positively impact the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality (in different forms).

Such work is centred around the provision of inclusive and impactful cricket programmes, including:

* Super 1’s, which gives disabled young people aged 12-25 the chance to play regular competitive cricket while improving life skills such as confidence and independence.

* Table Cricket, which is an adapted version of cricket, played on a table tennis table and specially designed to give young disabled people the chance to play and compete in the sport.

* Wicketz, which is a cricket programme initially aimed at young people aged 8-16, living in deprived communities. It provides year-round weekly cricket sessions as well as workshops that teach vital life skills.

* Sports Kit Recycling, which helps young people all over the world in developing countries, and in the UK, access sporting equipment.

The outcomes for young people delivered through the Lord’s Taverners programmes and support include:

* increased opportunities for regular participation;

* more young people motivated to engage in sport;

* improved health, social and psychological wellbeing; and

* volunteers, coaches and teachers empowered to deliver training sessions.

As someone for whom sport plays an integral part of day-to-day life (particularly as regards supporting my mental health), I believe that the work done by the Lords Taverner’s is not only of particular importance, but achieves particularly positive and beneficial outcomes.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page and read about the charity about which I feel so strongly (for further information, please visit https://www.lordstaverners.org. Any donations which you can afford to make would be very gratefully received.