For the past 7 years, I have been working in the heart of Westminster, a stone throw’s distance from London’s most important tourist sites, glossy shops and the global headquarters of many large businesses. With so much visible wealth, power and influence concentrated within a square mile of my office, it can be hard to believe that this also the centre of London’s rough sleeping crisis. Last year, over 2000 people were sleeping rough in Westminster – that’s 20% of all homeless people in London!

Much of the misery of this existence remains unseen and unheard as the city’s streets are swept by commuters, tourists and leisure seekers. But travel into Charing Cross early in the morning – as I often do – and it becomes impossible to ignore. The Connection at St Martin’s plays an important role in addressing this. Looking at the long queues of rough sleepers lining up outside the Connection every morning, you get a sense of the role this charity plays: for many it’s a lifeline, a place that offers hope and dignity.

For over a century, the Connection has been opening its doors to those sleeping rough in Westminster, providing hot meals, medical attention, access to showers and hygiene products, internet access and free, impartial advice on housing and employment. Last year, 1162 people used the services provided by the centre and 185 were able to move into new accommodation with support of the Connection.

The Connection also offers dedicated services and reserved times for women. This is important because women sleeping rough are at extremely high risk of violence and experience constant harassment. Many are too scared to sleep at night, so are under-served by nightly homelessness outreach programmes. The Connection offers women safe spaces and as well as dedicated medical attention and housing support.

This work is so incredibly important and affects people quite literally on our doorstep – for those, like me, working in Whitehall. But the numbers of those in need are large – and getting larger. So... I have decided to run this year's Berlin Marathon to raise funds and help the Connection continue to provide this support to our community. This will be my first ever marathon and, looking at the distances on my training plan, I'm more than a little petrified. What motivates me to do it all anyway is that, through the run, I'm able to support an incredible charity that's genuinely saving lives day after day.

Please consider donating generously to this appeal. All donations really do make a difference! Just £5 can enable someone sleeping rough to have access to a hot nutritious meal, a warm shower and the opportunity for them to clean their clothes. £25 could fund 4 full initial assessments for newly homeless people, creating their action plans and giving them access to hot nutritious meals, showers, laundry and GP services.