In February I spent a couple of weeks in Thessaloniki, Greece. I was helping out at a warehouse distributing clothes, meals, fresh fruit and vegetables to some of the thousands of refugees living in the twenty or so camps in northern Greece.

I visited a couple of the camps during my time in Greece, and met some of the people who are stuck there, including many children. Since returning home I've thought a lot about those people; what they might have been through to get to northern Greece (which I can't even begin to imagine) and how they are spending their days now, while I am working in a comfortable office or enjoying an evening run. While reading about what is still happening there, I've come across a small organisation which is carrying out some wonderful work on the island of Chios, close to Turkey.

Refugee Education Chios is managed by the NGO “Be Aware and Share” (BAAS). They have built two schools and a youth centre for refugee children who have arrived on Chios in boats, and who now live in camps there. These schools take the children out of the hard conditions of the camps every day and attempt to establish a sense of normality in their lives with an educational but informal environment. These institutions are all voluntarily run, funded through the Norwegian Refugee Council, ECHO and private donors.

You can read an article on Refugee Education Chios and the work they are doing in Greece here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/refugee-school-chios-greece-lessons-in-life-for-the-migrant-children-a7229916.html

I'm lucky enough to be taking part in the London marathon this year on 23 April. I've been training hard (including in hilly Thessaloniki!) - and I would like use the opportunity this year to raise some money for teaching materials for Refugee Education Chios. Running is one of my favourite things, and it would be great to take a few steps towards this worthy cause. Any help is very gratefully received.

Thank you!