– In March and April 2026, Macey Leigh (née Hadler, D14–18) will lace up her running shoes for not one, but two half marathons — first in Lisburn, then in London — all in support of the remarkable charity Hope and Homes for Children.

This isn’t just a personal challenge; it’s a heartfelt mission to help transform the lives of vulnerable children around the world. The charity Macey is championing was born from the compassion and courage of Mark and Caroline Cook, who in 1994 left their Wiltshire kitchen table to respond to the horrors of the Bosnian War. What they found in Sarajevo’s Bjelave orphanage — a building battered by mortars and heartbreak — changed their lives forever.

Since then, Hope and Homes for Children has grown into a global movement to end the institutional care of children. Mark and Caroline visited orphanages across continents, witnessing the absence of what every child deserves: unconditional love. That absence became their call to action. Today, their charity works tirelessly to ensure children grow up in safe, nurturing families — not institutions.