My Story

Shelter believes everyone should have a home. It is a charity on the front line, helping those most in need.

More than a million people a year come to Shelter for advice and support via their website, helplines and local hubs.

In the last year alone:

15,555 households received support from Shelter's emergency helpline.

15,846 households came to local support hubs in England for support.

6.2 million visits were made to Shelter's online advice and services pages

14,026 conversations were had on their webchat service

16,588 queries were responded to by their professional advice services  

12,900 households who sought help saw positive change as a result 

In 2021 I ran the London Marathon for Shelter. It was the first marathon I had ever run. And to add to the challenge, I ran it dressed as a house. 

I finished in 4 hours 33 minutes. And raised over £20,000.  It was bit challenging as I tore my Achilles tendon half way round. The tendon snapped two weeks later. But thanks to successful surgery I have made a full recovery and was  back to long distance running within 18 months.

Shelter is in desperate need of more funding. The Head of Fundraising at Shelter asked me if I would consider running the London Marathon again. Obviously, I had to give that careful thought. But as my leg is back to full strength I have decided to run it again. And yes, dressed as a house. 

The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.

Participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.