I am delighted to be running the Paris Marathon on April 13th to raise money for Refugees at Home! As someone who hadn't run in years this is a daunting challenge but if I am going to suffer it truly couldn't be for a better cause! Refugees at Home helps refugees and people seeking asylum find somewhere to stay where they might otherwise face destitution. In a world where ever more people are fleeing war or persecution the importance of helping others has never been higher.

With a little over two weeks to go until the run, this fundraising is ironically a bit of a sprint! As an extra incentive to help us reach our target and to help you find that extra fiver, if any of you want to guess my finishing time I will match the donation of whoever is closest (hint; it'll be over 4 hours!).

More about Refugees at Home:

Any of us could be refugees, in different circumstances.

Refugees at Home connects people with a spare room to refugees and people seeking asylum in need of somewhere to stay.

We don’t think people who come to the UK for sanctuary should end up on the streets.

Refugees at Home was set up by a group of friends in 2016 in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Since then, it has grown to become the UK’s largest independent hosting charity, finding rooms for more than 6500 guests from 75 different countries.

Refugees and people seeking asylum are fleeing war or persecution in their own countries. But many who come to the UK in search of safety find themselves facing homelessness and destitution. They may be without statutory support for long periods, or need some additional help to build new lives.

R@H recruit and support volunteer hosts who are willing to offer a temporary home and a helping hand. Their role is to carefully match each guest and host, to assess and prepare them ready for hosting, to advise on hosting arrangements and accommodation, and to provide ongoing support to hosts throughout each stay.