Local MP, Munira Wilson, is running once again for the annual Cabbage Patch 10 race this October, raising funds for The Purple Elephant Project as the local charity faces a critical funding crisis.

Wilson announced on X that she will be running for the Twickenham-based charity, which provides vital play and art therapy for children struggling with their mental health, especially those who have experienced significant trauma.

The Purple Elephant Project is facing funding cuts that threatens to disrupt essential therapy services it provides to children and their families.

In the MPs JustGiving appeal, Wilson explained: "Since the Government decided to cut grants for therapy for children who have been adopted or are in kinship care, a number of local children have been left without the support they desperately need.

"I have met some of the adoptive families that have benefitted from PEP therapy - it helps keep families together and children in education."

The local children's mental health charity seeks continuation of government funding, following the government's decision to cut grants for therapy for children who have been adopted or are in kinship care.

Wilson's ongoing campaign for better support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is closely aligned with the mission of The Purple Elephant Project.

The charity works with many children who fall through the cracks of the current system, particularly those with undiagnosed or unsupported needs linked to trauma, adoption, or disrupted early attachments.

Wilson has previously campaigned on SEND issues, securing £20 million in funding over five years for Richmond to address a critical funding gap.

This is not Wilson's first time running for mental health causes, she previously ran the Cabbage Patch 10 in 2022 to raise money.

The Cabbage Patch 10 starts in Church Street, Twickenham, with the course forming a loop around the Thames, crossing the river at Kingston and Richmond, and finishing at York House, Twickenham Cabbage Patch 10.

Wilson is urging local residents to donate generously to support the charity, describing it as "a lifeline for so many children and families in our area."

Donations can be made through Wilson's JustGiving page.

For more information about The Purple Elephant Project, click here.