So… why I do what I do!! Today I got up and set off to work like I do most days with my head held high and a spring in my step – despite the change in weather!! I travel around town visiting drop-in centres and hostels, engaging with young adults, aged 16 to 25. Not always the most welcoming age group, I might add!! Today was no different then, another day and people have problems… looking for work, education, housing, benefits, appointment after appointment, application forms and more paperwork… round and round they go, trapped in a system that doesn’t seem to benefit anybody but the system… key workers over worked and under paid trying their best to help their clients make ends meet!! This is what it’s like day to day for me, trying to motivate young people whose lives are in turmoil. Often, the last thing they want to see is me bouncing up asking them to go for a run, but I do and I try and try each and every day… sometimes with quite a lot of success. You see some of these young people are strong and looking for a way out of the cycle they’re stuck in and that’s why I do what I do – because everyone needs and deserves a helping hand!!

Each day, a young person puts on his or her shoes and says ‘yes, I’ll join in, I’ll go for a run, I’ll punch and kick the pads’ that gives me the strength I need to keep on doing what I do.

Today was cold, wet and windy and yet today I was inspired by a young man of only 22 years of age. He has no idea of the impact he’s made on my life! We met for  the first time in the park and set off for a run and we got talking, he’s been in the UK coming up for 3 years.. moved from Scotland down to London and is awaiting papers. He can’t work, has no family here – as far as I’m aware – but boy can he run!! All he has is his running. He told me when he’s in a good space he’ll run every day but now things aren’t so good but he still runs.. he said thank you to me for running with him and all he wants is someone to run with him and push him to be better… his grace, elegance and relaxation as he strides – it was amazing to run besides him!! I thought to myself what if??? The sun came out as if to say well done to us both for continuing the run even though it was glum, such is life!! If only more people would have the attitude to just put on their shoes and go for it, I believe the world would be a better place!!
I hope to continue working with this young man and that he continues to inspire me – the man that’s employed to help him!!