Hi all!

Thanks for taking the time to look at my page and hopefully give a donation but if not just increasing awareness of the charity CALM and mental health issues is a bonus!

I have chosen to run this marathon because quite selfishly I have simply always wanted to give one a go, but then when I found myself with a year off from my studies it seemed like the perfect time to help clear my mind in the training and work toward something.

I, along with everyone have a story, but I unlike some others am still here typing this message and now training for a stupidly long distance jog/walk/crawl/taxi?

I think we all know that the rates of suicide are just too high, with 1 in 4 people having a mental health condition it's incredibly likely that you will have a personal connection with 'suicide' whether it is attempted or worse and utterly heartbreaking, completed. Recently an ex rugby club member of which I am part of, sadly was in this second category, I think it opened a lot of people's eyes of how real the situation is, how close anyone can be to this and how no one else may know.

So please, the reason I'm writing this is so we don't keep having to mourn our friends and loved ones too soon, and to help a charity that can really make a difference. Campaign Against Living Miserably is a charity that does that, offering support and advice to anyone who needs it, but the most important thing is getting this out there, people can't turn to it if they don't know it exists. If anything comes from this campaign it would be the hope that more people know about this charity, more people aware of what can go on behind your best mates forged smile and their "yeah, I'm well thanks."

If anyone would like to talk to me further please do! I would be more than happy to talk to anyone about what's going on or if they just want to know how I finally managed to make the best decision I've ever made and turn to my friends.

So to brighten any moods, hopefully I can cheer you up with some updates of how awfully my training is going and information of how deep heat has now become my permanent fragrance.

Please donate if you can!!

Thanks and thanks again,

Oscar