Run for Hope: Supporting Sierra Leone’s Future

On 23rd February, I’ll be running the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Half Marathon to raise funds for an inspiring trip to Sierra Leone.

In the early 90s, a visionary named Richard Cole risked his life to rescue over 500 child soldiers during Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war. His courageous work laid the foundation for a thriving community that continues to transform lives today.

Remarkably, many of the children Richard saved now lead this mission, building on his vision to empower communities. Their work includes running schools, vocational training programs, and youth mentoring initiatives to tackle issues like mass unemployment, abusive relationships, and poverty.

LifeLine Church has a close partnership with this inspiring team, and this year, I’m part of a group of five traveling to Freetown to support and learn from their incredible work. We’ll experience daily life there—fetching water from a standpipe, navigating scarce electricity, and witnessing the challenges families face to make ends meet. It’s a unique opportunity to encourage the local team and see the impact of their work firsthand.

The trip is expensive and whilst our team is contributing from personal finances, we still need to raise funds to cover essential costs like flights and visas. That’s why I’m running this half marathon - to help make this mission possible.

This cause is close to my heart, and I’d be incredibly grateful for your support. Any donation, big or small, will directly contribute to empowering a community and changing lives.