On 10th October, World Mental Health Day and my 30th birthday, I’m running from St Win’s Church in Totton to Lord’s Hill Church in Southampton, from the home of the first Pillar Space to the second, to tell the story of The Pillar so far and raise money for what comes next.

This year’s World Mental Health Day is all about storytelling, so it feels like the perfect day to tell ours.

Where The Story Began

For me, this story starts long before The Pillar.

I grew up in Totton and struggled with my mental health as a teenager. At a time when I really needed help, I wasn’t able to access the support I needed. I know personally what it feels like to be struggling and for the right support not to be there.

I didn’t grow up as a Christian. I found faith later through a church in Southampton and, not long afterwards, joined the team planting St Win’s back in my hometown.

I wanted young people growing up in the same community I had to have something different. Somewhere to turn when they were struggling. People who would notice. A community where they could be known, supported and accepted.

Along the way, St Win’s became home for me too.

By then I was working as a mental health nurse in the community and could see professionally what I’d experienced personally. Too many young people were struggling but unable to access the support they needed. Some didn’t meet thresholds for specialist services, others faced long waits, and there was a huge gap before things reached crisis point.

I began to wonder: what could it look like if churches were equipped to step into that gap?

In 2023, the first Pillar Space opened at St Win’s.

Where The Story Has Taken Us

The idea was simple: create a welcoming space where young people struggling with their mental health could come every week, be known by name, build trusted relationships and find support before things reached crisis point.

Not therapy. Not another course.

A community that keeps showing up.

Since then, more than 45 young people have been supported through our Pillar Spaces, with 91% reporting improved wellbeing.

We’ve seen young people build friendships, grow in confidence, talk more openly about how they’re feeling and find somewhere they genuinely belong. We’ve even seen young people who didn’t come with a Christian faith begin exploring faith for themselves and becoming part of church communities.

Then, in 2025, our second Pillar Space opened at Lord’s Hill Church.

What started in one church in my hometown was beginning to grow.

Why Am I Running?

Six months ago, if you’d asked me to choose an activity for a fundraiser, running would probably have been right at the bottom of the list!

It was only on a family holiday in June that my sister, who lives and breathes running, convinced me to give it a go.

This year has been pretty stressful. It turns out setting up a charity is not particularly straightforward! 😂 Somewhere amongst the applications, funding, paperwork and uncertainty, I knew I needed to do something that was good for my own head too.

As a mental health nurse, I know how much physical activity can help our mental health, so when I got home I downloaded Couch to 5K.

On day one, while I was running, I felt God speak to me and give me the idea for this fundraiser.

Since then, I’ve genuinely fallen in love with running. I’ve been slowly building up the miles, it’s given me space to connect with God, and I’ve noticed a real difference in my own mental wellbeing too.

Why 10th October?

This bit still completely blows my mind.

My birthday is World Mental Health Day. Every single year.

World Mental Health Day existed before I was even born, so I obviously had absolutely nothing to do with that! 😂 But when I look back at my story, struggling with my own mental health, not being able to access support, becoming a mental health nurse, finding Jesus and eventually feeling called to start The Pillar, I find it pretty amazing that this is the date I was born.

I believe God has called me to this work, and moments like this make me look back and see His hand over my story long before I could.

And this year, 10th October becomes even more special.

I turn 30 and, if everything goes to plan, we’ll also be celebrating the launch of The Pillar as an independent charity. Which means The Pillar and I will get to share a birthday forever! ❤️

Running Into The Next Chapter

So on 10th October, I’ll start at St Win’s, the church that became home to me and where the first Pillar Space began, and run to Lord’s Hill, home of our second.

I’m running from where The Pillar began to where it grew, to help us take the next step towards where we’re going.

We envision a future where the Church plays a vital role in supporting young people’s mental health and no young person struggles alone.

We want to strengthen what we’ve already built and equip more churches to play their part.

Because young people shouldn’t have to reach crisis point before somebody notices they’re struggling. And churches don’t need to become mental health services to make a difference.

Sometimes it starts with somewhere safe to go every week. Someone who knows your name. A community where you belong. People who keep showing up.

This run marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

If you’d like to be part of what comes next, I’d love you to sponsor my run.

Help us run into the next chapter. ⭐

A Note About Donations

The Pillar is currently transitioning from being a project of St Win’s Church to becoming an independent charity. Until that transition is complete, donations through this page are received by St Win’s Church and designated for the work of The Pillar.

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