Meet 2 more of our London Marathon runners, Alex and Steve!

3 mins read

Monday 8 April 2024

Say hello to Alex Archer and Steve Minshull – two of 18 London Marathon participants running just over 26 miles to raise vital funds for Contact this year.

Alex from Clapham and Steve from Liverpool decided to run the London Marathon on 21 April for Contact because they’ve both seen the real difference Contact makes first-hand.

Alex says: “I’ve run a half marathon for Contact before, so the London Marathon seemed like the natural next step. It’s a cause very close to my heart as Contact has supported my family since my brother, who has additional needs, was young. We have been lucky to have so much support from Contact over the years and I firmly believe in the invaluable work Contact does to support and empower families like mine. I want to run this year’s marathon to give something back and raise money and awareness for this life-changing charity.”

Steve’s niece Hannah has a chromosome disorder called Jacobsen’s syndrome which means she has physical and learning disabilities as well as complex medical needs. Her condition was so rare that none of her doctors knew anything about it. Charity Contact was the only source of information they had on Hannah’s condition when she was first diagnosed. Steve says:

“I am delighted to be running the London Marathon for Contact, a charity close to my family’s hearts, thanks to the help they have given my sister and brother-in-law with their daughter Hannah. Hannah has just turned 18 and it feels like the perfect time for me to give something back and support this wonderful charity which supports families with disabled children. Many families with disabled children feel frustrated and ignored and can’t always access the services that they are entitled to. Contact provides an invaluable service supporting and signposting families in their quest for a better quality of life for their child. When we have a problem, Contact is the first place we go to for advice. Raising a disabled child whilst is extremely rewarding, can be stressful and hard at times. Knowing that Contact is there at the other end of the phone line or will respond quickly to messages makes things so much easier.”

Good luck Steve and Alex! We think you are both amazing and look forward to seeing you as run just over 26 miles of the Capital’s streets on Sunday, 21 April.

You can support Alex and/or Steve and give their fundraising target a boost by visiting their fundraising pages.