I'm running the Edinburgh Marathon to celebrate the life of the musician Alex Willie Singerman. 

I met Alex when we were both studying together at The University of California San Diego back in 2005-6 on an exchange year. We lived together on the international bit of the campus- ihouse.  Alex was a much loved member of the ihouse community, he had a wonderful way of being a huge part of so many people's lives in that year- he did this through his generous nature, kind heartedness, humour but most of all through his music.  He played his guitar at every ihouse event, every beach party, every house party (of which there were many)- his guitar and toothpick were part of his body and soul. 

After ihouse our friendship continued and our lives continued to cross paths in both Scotland and during Alex's time living in London- he was someone who was always there- a part of my life... until he wasn't. 

Alex received various diagnoses and misdiagnoses during his life but it is believed he was suffering from schizoaffective disorder, which is a psychotic and a mood disorder with features of both bipolar and schizophrenia. The majority of the time it was “dormant” within him. I think it's really important to acknowledge the mental health illness that Alex experienced, as Alex loved life. He loved his friends, family and community- and it was very easy to love Alex. However in May 2017 he was taken over by a psychotic episode. ‘Taken over’ is the appropriate language in order to understand that it was this episode, and not Alex, that was responsible for taking his life away.

That's why I'm raising money for #musicmindsmatter, a support line and service (run by Help Musicians UK) for the whole UK music community.  Music Minds Matter is a comprehensive service- linking advice, signposting, clinical pathways and professional therapeutic services to Help Musicians UK’s traditional grants for musicians in need.  You can read more about the project here: www.musicmindsmatter.org.uk

Music is an important and crucial part of all our lives and I would go as far to say that music supports us in our own mental health.  Alex's music touched so many of us during our time in California, pretty sure that anyone who was there with him would agree that his song ROSIE was one of everyone's most loved tunes in 2006. Alex's wee sister Eve has set up a website where you can check out his tunes here: https://www.alexwilliesingerman.com

Alex was going to run the Edinburgh Marathon last May and he raised £3500 for the Scottish Refugee Council (in the memory of his grandmother Susan Singerman), but died a couple of weeks before the run.  Alex was a very charitable and socially aware human being and was very passionate about supporting causes.  I'll always remember him travelling from Edinburgh to London (and back) by bus to play 3 songs at a fundraiser I was holding in 2008.  Running the marathon in his memory feels like something he would support.

I'll be doing the run with another one of our ihouse buddies Tony.  If you could please donate and share within your networks the #musicmindsmatter cause in memory our beautiful friend Alex Willie Singerman please do. Thanks so much for your support. 

Love and Peace xx