A few weeks ago I was walking back home having just dropped off my kids at school. It was a beautiful early summer day and we had a lovely morning. I had hugged them both at their classrooms and I knew that the worst thing that could happen to them in the next six hours is a grazed knee.

As I was walking home I started listening to a pod cast with Dr Rola Hallam about her work in Syria with CanDo, in particular their work protecting Syria's schools. Thousands of schools have been bombed in Syria in the past ten years. Parent's face the agonising choice of sending their kids to school to continue their education but not really knowing if they will be safe there or keep them at home where their safety isn't guaranteed anyway. I cannot imagine having to make that choice, having to leave my kids at the school gate knowing a bomb might fall on their heads.

CanDo are working with our local partners Hurras and the White Helmets to install early warning systems in 150 schools that give 7 minutes warning of aerial attacks. Together we can protect 61,000 children and 3,000 school staff. The system has already been shown to reduce injury by up to 30% and has saved 250,000 civilians from trauma.

HEAL - Counselling services for children who have faced bombardment to help them recover from exposure to trauma.

OBSERVE - The world watching is a deterrent. Early warning systems build an observation network providing better protection for children, real-time reporting and a credible record of atrocities and identifies perpetrators.

PROTECT - Schools are protected with early warning systems that alert students and teachers to imminent threat of attack.

EMPOWER - Education is empowerment. Education is empowerment. Safe schools give communities space to heal and grow - ultimately empowering Syrians to build the future they want.

I am running London marathon on the 3rd of October and I am to raise £1,300. This can help one of these schools with a full early waring system as well as providing support like an evacuation plan. Donate what you can!

Find out more about CanDo and Save Syria's Schools here: https://candoaction.org/sss2