58-year-old Debbie, who lives in Warwickshire, is running the London Marathon to raise vital funds for Canine Partners. This is her story:

“It was several years ago, when I attended a social group, that I first heard about Canine Partners. A lady who attended the group was a Puppy Parent volunteer for the charity and would bring the puppy to the group.  At the time, we had our own dogs, but I thought it was a lovely thing to do.

“A few years later, my husband retired, and we had sadly lost our dogs.  The house felt empty, so we initially thought of adopting an older dog, but then we remembered about Canine Partners. We did our research and saw what a difference a dog could make to the life of a person living with a disability. We contacted Canine Partners, and within a few weeks, our first puppy arrived – we have been Puppy Parent volunteers ever since!

“My goal is just to enjoy the atmosphere in London, so I’ve put no pressure on myself for a finish time – I’m not a runner, just passionate about this amazing charity! I’m following a training plan involving running four times a week.

“Me and my husband David ran the London Virtual Marathon in October 2021, raising £1000 for Canine Partners. This time, I have a fundraising target of £2000, which is currently at £1270.”

To sponsor Debbie, please visit: www.justgiving.com/page/debbie-de-ville-1686659675949

Could you fundraise for Canine Partners? To find out more and get inspiration for your next challenge, please visit caninepartners.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising