In 1981 as refugees, my family escaped communist Poland. Through the help of kind people in former Yugoslavia and Austria, we arrived in Canada.

Now, as a British citizen, this is my tribute to the kindness of strangers that helped us to safely arrive in Canada. We count our blessings for becoming Canadians.

As a member of Oxford's Black Friars Refugee Group (BRAID) -- under the Father Hudson's Care -- we the parishioners are sponsoring a Syrian refugee family to be brought over to Oxford from one of refugee camps.

This sponsorship uses the Canadian model, integrating the various government bodies sponsors with private sponsors and donors. Oxford BRAID's partnering with the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) programme will bring a Syrian family sometime around Christmas 2017.

This family will need many things, big and small to help them to integrate. I'm running for them. I'll help them.

I will be running from the source of the Thames River into Oxford along the Thames Path. It will be over 86 kilometres or over 53 miles.

If all you can give is a kind word, then spread the news by social media.

This is my thanks to many Canadians, Austrians, former Yugoslavs and 
Britons who helped my family with many things big and small. I'm also running for you.