On 14th September, I will be taking on the Chippenham Half Marathon — not just as a personal challenge, but to raise funds for a very special cause.

My daughter’s wonderful friend Oliver is 11 years old and full of determination, strength, and humour, despite facing life-changing challenges. In December 2022, Oliver suffered a spontaneous internal bleed that damaged his spinal cord, leaving him T3 paraplegic. No one could have predicted it — and no cause was ever found.

Since then, Oliver has shown incredible resilience and spirit, but he’s beginning to feel the weight of his physical limitations. One of the toughest things is seeing him left behind simply because his wheelchair can’t take him where his adventurous heart wants to go — especially the beach.

Im hoping to help fund a Freedom Trax wheelchair, an amazing piece of kit, giving Oliver the independence to roam sandy beaches and rough ground like the explorer he is at heart.

Every pound donated will bring Oliver closer to the freedom he deserves — and if we go beyond the target, any extra funds will go toward other vital areas of his care, like privately funded physiotherapy.

Please support me in my run, and help give Oliver the chance to just be a kid again — exploring, playing, and keeping up with his friends.

Thank you so much

Ben