I started volunteering with St John's when I first moved to London and it quickly became a second home. From guests to fellow volunteers, I felt a great sense of community. I quickly went from soup kitchen novice to shift leader. I owe so much of my 'London experience' to the wonderful St John's community; and now as the kitchen is struggling with funds it's my turn to give back. Can you help me?

I'm running 26 (long) miles for St John's in my home town of Chester, and you can help! Your donation, no matter how big or small, will go straight to our guests... helping us cook hot, nutritious meals and stocking the shelves of our (rather empty) food bank. It's hard running a charity like St John's. Even keeping the lights on is a challenge! So anything that you can contribute is hugely appreciated.

St John's is a grass-roots, community-led Soup Kitchen and Food Bank working in Finsbury Park, North London. We serve hot meals and distribute vital goods to a lovely community of guests, some of whom are homeless, some who are Refugees and some who have just fallen on hard times.

Unlike most food banks, St John's is very simple. There are no questions asked, no forms required, and no faith needed. It's just lovely, friendly volunteers who are happy to help those in their time of need.

Our service runs twice a week on Tuesdays and Sundays where we typically serve over 100 meals each shift. Guests arrive with empty stomachs and leave with home-cooked food, basic essentials and (most importantly) their dignity, knowing that they're welcome and cared for in their time of need.

Each week it costs us around £1.5k to serve our Finsbury Park community, meaning that if we meet this perhaps slightly ambitious Just Giving target your total donations will give greater certainty to our wonderful guests and volunteers for a whole 7 days. That's not to be sniffed at!

So, what are you waiting for? Hit that donation button and rest assured I'll get my running shoes tied and ready to go. Stay tuned for updates in the run up to and after the date!

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.