Apr 18

Apr 18 Running for Rugby Portobello

The Rugby Portobello Trust (RPT) is a children’s and youth charity in Walmer Road opposite Avondale Park, North Kensington, shown by a recent survey to have the highest discrepancy of wealth distribution in the UK. RPT has been supporting the local community for more than 130 years, helping thousands of children and young people get the support they need to lead fulfilling lives free from crime and deprivation.

Programmes run six days per week, working with more than 2,000 people each year. RPT supports children from the age of four years old to their early 20s, helping them through every stage of childhood, adolescence and early adulthood.

Art, music, games and sport are just some of the mediums used to work with local children and young people on literacy, numeracy, wellbeing, sexual health, online safety, gang avoidance, training and education opportunities and much more.

In the aftermath of the fire at Grenfell Tower, RPT became one of the organisations at the forefront of the emergency relief effort, doubling the demand on our services and resources. We continue to support those affected to this day, distributing grants of more than £14m and offering practical, holistic support and honest information and advice.

RPT is more than 90% funded by donations and grants through events such as the London Marathon. This year three people ran to raise funds for RPT and the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire: Marigold Freeland, Arthur Fincham and one of our very own Norland councillors David Lindsay, who says: "First, a very big thank you for all your support, moral and financial, as I prepared for running the London marathon in aid of the Rugby Portobello Trust. It made a huge difference to have raised my target in mid-February. With pledges, I have now reached almost £10k - double my initial target. Of this, roughly ½ the amount was raised by Norland residents: it is a tribute to your generosity that so much has been raised locally.

"It would be a cliché to say that the race itself was memorable. I completed the race in 4 hours and 2 minutes, about two and a half minutes longer than my target, but given that it was the hottest ever day for the marathon, I am very happy with that time. I shall long remember the heat, the support from so many cheering along the way, tired legs, latterly, very tired legs, feeling somewhat light-headed at the end of the race, and then enjoying Lucozade and in particular a smoothie. More broadly, as well as the enhanced fitness, it has been very both humbling but also personally very worthwhile to help raise much needed money for the RPT, and help those affected directly by the Grenfell tragedy, and indeed the wider Kensington community. For those who may still wish to contribute, the link is https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-lindsay13 . I have already reached £10k, and am sending this to several hundred people, of both Norland residents and family and friends. Can you help me to raise a further £2k, so that together we can give RPT £12k?