On June 30th, I will be donning my trainers to run 50km along the Cotswold Way from Bath to Wotton Under Edge. This is the second year that the event has been held and hundreds of runners take part, most raising money for a cause close to their heart.

John Bowen is my friend and work colleague, Lou's, husband. Last August he suffered a heart attack whilst up ladder, painting the second storey of a house in Nailsworth. He fell and broke his back, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. This wonderful Nailsworth couple have had to move from their much loved cottage, where they have lived for over 20 years, as access for a wheelchair was simply not possible.

John has spent 7 months in the Spinal Unit in Salisbury and he has been updating us his on Facebook page ‘Johns Journey’ (@johnsjourneynailsworth) about life since coming out of hospital. There have been many ups and downs as Lou and John come to terms with some major life changes. One of the up sides, however, has been the introduction of local physiotherapist Mick O’Hara to Johns convalescence. Mick currently treats John three times week, aiming to improve both Johns flexibility, upper body and core strength and this in turn is producing major improvements in his mental wellbeing. Mick has given John a new focus in life with weekly targets as he adapts to life in a wheelchair. The down side however is that with John being unable to work and with Lou caring for him full time income is limited for this wonderful Nailsworth couple and at some point the funds for this invaluable physiotherapy will run out.

Individually it is very difficult for us to make a great difference to Lou and Johns life but as a community we hope,and believe, that we can enhance the quality of John’s life by means of funding his ongoing physiotherapy costs.
I have known Lou for over 15 years and have witnessed the endless acts of goodwill charity and help she has given to others over the years. Now it is our turn to help her and John.
We are all bombarded daily from requests world wide to donate to some amazing causes and some we hold closer to our heart than others. I am excited by the fact that we as a local community might be able to make a fundamental change to one couples life by simply joining forces thus enabling John to continue receiving the physio treatment he so desperately needs.