One of our learners takes on double Bupa challenge

Michael Mohan will be lacing up his trainers for a double Bupa Run Challenge by taking on the Great North 10K and Great North Run. He’s using the Great North 10k event to prepare himself for the Great North Run, which is his biggest challenge yet!

With the help of Assistant Manager Tawa Zengeni, Michael hopes to generate money for equipment for therapy sessions at the North East Autism Society.

Michael, 32, along with many others who have autism, is non-verbal and requires visual instructions to help him communicate.

With the money raised, the North East Autism Society hopes to buy new equipment for therapy sessions to help with hand-eye co-ordination and improve communication.

The centre is at the charities Emsworth site in Sunderland, where Michael attends Adult Services day provision.

“The race will be a great achievement for Michael as although he is a very good runner, he is yet to run this sort of distance and under race conditions. As part of Michael’s autism he enjoys taking part in sports but he does not understand the social rules and requires support from staff to participate in a safe manner. This is a big challenge for Michael and a positive step in his development as a runner” said Tawa, Assistant Manager for NEAS.

Michael’s first run takes place on Sunday 13th July at the Great North 10K. To sponsor Michael go to his online fundraising page.