Gideon's Half Marathon

A year or two ago, I would have had to have a sit down after running up a flight of stairs and I never would have believed I'd be planning to run the Bournemouth Half Marathon on 5th October.

Why? Well, I'm running it for the Dorset Youth Association which has just celebrated the 70th anniversary of its mission to improve the quality of life for children and young people and their families in Dorset. The Association works incredibly hard delivering informal education, positive participation and volunteering to promote the personal and social development of at least 6,000 children and young people each year.

The charity supports voluntary youth workers in around 60 clubs and groups for young people across Dorset. It delivers outdoor education and experiences to those who might not be able to access these activities. It also delivers support direct to young people through Routes, its advice and information centre in Dorchester, ensuring that the lives of underprivileged young people are improved dramatically.