This may well be the first (I hope!) and last (I think?!) marathon that I'll ever aim to do. 

CARAS - Community action for refugees and asylum seekers - are a great charity based in Tooting, South London. I selected them because we all know how important this work is in the current climate. And because I liked that they are locally based and small-ish so any donation will have a big impact. And also because of their focus on empowerment, here's a bit more info on that:

CARAS works from the perspective that people of refugee background are marginalised in the UK and can and do face a complex range of barriers that prevent access to rights, entitlements, opportunities and a good quality of life. These barriers must be addressed comprehensively through education, advocacy, and campaigns work for social change.

The services offered by CARAS are designed to empower beneficiaries by providing information, tools, resources, and opportunities. We work with beneficiaries respectfully, recognizing that the system in place to support people of refugee background is confusing and overwhelming, with the odds stacked against attaining equal access.

We think empowerment happens when people have decision making power of their own; access to information and resources to make proper decisions; a range of options from which they can make choices; ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision making; and ability to increase their positive self‐image and overcome stigma. CARAS has designed its organisational mission, and services on this basis.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.