I'd like to thank everyone who supported me over the past few weeks. I've been overwhelmed by the encouragement and donations I've received - I really appreciate it!

I'm really happy that we've exceeded our target of £5000 but there's no reason why we should stop. If you haven't donated and would like to, there's still time. A reminder of where the money's going:

Ansar Youth Project is an organisation in London providing youth services for Muslim children between the ages of 11-16 years. Besides providing a range of informal learning activities such as sport, workshops and outdoor camps, trained Youth Workers mentor young people growing up in deprived communities. Amongst their current case studies, is an 11 year old Muslim boy who has been a runner for drug dealers for two years, a 14 year old Muslim girl who is several depressed and self-harms regularly and a 16 year old who has been physically abused by his parents.

The Sayyed Hussein Ismail Al-Sadr Foundation Trust in Baghdad is an indigenous charity that is working to provide humanitarian services to needy Muslim youth in very trying circumstances in my native homeland, Iraq. Amongst the charity's many projects, it runs an orphanage for children who have no living carers and who otherwise would be at the mercy of the dangerous streets. The Foundation provides them with shelter, offers educational opportunities and creates a route out of poverty for these children. The charity also promotes dialogue and reconciliation between Baghdad's ethnic and religious communities.

Once again, thank you for your support, and make sure you apply for next year's London Marathon!

Ali