Hi - I'm Ben, and on 26 April I'll be attempting to run the London Marathon on behalf of the refugee integration charity, Fences and Frontiers.

This will be my first-ever marathon, and my second-ever running event. Those who know me will know my general aversion to any form of group running event, so obviously I thought committing to one of the largest running events in the world would be suitable for fundraising. And let me tell you, preparing for a marathon is no joke! By the time I reach the marathon, all being well, I will have run 650km (403 miles), much of it in the cold, dark hours of the early morning. I've also paid the full cost of entry to the marathon myself (also no joke!), so you can be sure every penny will go to our charity, and not recompensing my ensuing mid-life crisis avoidance strategy.

Fences and Frontiers runs walking groups, museum trips and other cultural and therapeutic activities for refugees in and around London. I've volunteered with this charity since 2016, been the Treasurer since 2020. It's been a difficult few years for refugees in the UK, and we've been expanding the help we provide as a result. Our volunteers have done amazing work - last year over 700 places on our trips were filled, and we were nominated for the King's Award for Voluntary Service. All of this costs money, and I'm looking to raise £2,500 for our 10th anniversary. Every donation counts, and goes towards supporting trips and activities which brighten the otherwise generally stressful lives of refugees in the UK, and help them and their families integrate into the UK.

So please consider making a donation, sharing this with friends, or ideally both. Thanks!