ACTRESS, TV presenter and cookery expert Nadia Sawalha is running the Virgin London Marathon to raise funds for chYps Children’s Hospice.

The star is supporting our children’s nurses and young patients after she signed up to become a chYps Champion last year.

Nadia’s husband Mark Adderly is also taking on the challenge, and the pair are looking forward to running their second marathon together.

The couple have embarked on a gruelling training schedule to prepare them for the 26.2 mile run through the capital on Sunday 22 April.

As a mum herself, Nadia knew she wanted to run for a cause close to her heart and raise vital funds for a charity which helps children and their families.

Nadia said: “chYps are an incredible charity. Thank god my children are well but if they weren’t, I would want nothing more than to have chYps there to support our family. chYps enables parents to keep their children at home with them, where they are safe, comfortable, and surrounded by people who love them.

“I’ve met some of the families that chYps helps and I’ve heard about the wonderful care they provide. I speak from the heart when I ask the public to support them because every penny they donate will make such a huge difference.”

As well as training hard, Nadia has also thrown herself into fundraising for chYps.

A recent charity auction raised £3,000 and she is calling upon her thousands of followers on Twitter to each donate £1 to her marathon appeal.

Nadia added: “The training is so hard. Every morning Mark and I get up while everyone is still in bed and go for a run. I also do a lot of cross training in the gym and recently did a half marathon. It’s really tough but knowing that I am helping chYps motivates me to keep going.”

To sponsor Nadia and Mark visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/nadiasawalha

You can also follow her training progress on Twitter @nadiasawalha  

*Photos courtesy of Anna Barclay