I have been on a mission to raise money for a cause close to my heart. In August 2018, I lost my cousin Ged to suicide. Every time I say or write that I still can't believe it. I still feel as shocked and sad as the day I heard the news. Ged was the ‘life and soul’, wickedly funny, loyal and caring. We still can't believe he is gone and we will never really know why.

My 40th birthday loomed large in 2025 - when we were kids Ged always loved being the 'older cousin' by a whopping 6 weeks! How I hated those weeks, being the baby, feeling so young and little. We laughed about it as adults. Then I realised - Ged would never turn 40 with me, we wouldn't get that 6 weeks. So instead of staying sad I set about the '40Kbefore40 Challenge' to raise £40,000 in Ged’s memory for Mind before we should have turned 40 together. So that when March 2025 (and then may 2025) came around maybe I could feel just a little bit less sad – and hopeful that the money raised might go towards keeping other people’s cousins alive.

We have now smashed that target but are going to keep going! Let’s see how far we can get!

A series of fun events for people to enjoy and personal challenges- while raising money for great cause.

There is hope...there is always hope.

Ruth xxx

Fundraising so far:

R Wilson - Ultra Marathons 2019 - £2500 (previous just giving)

C Davison-Culmer London Marathon 2020 - £2300 (previous virgin money giving)

Christmas Wreaths -2022 - £400 (bank transferred to mind)

R Wilson and C Davison-Culmer - London Classic 2022- £1500 (previous just giving)

R Wilson London Marathon 2023 - Inc, Lon Classic, Blue Tuesday and Live Music - £4761 (enthuse page)

Matched Funding from donations from Barclays Bank (Allison Liddle) - £2000 - bank transfer / letter to match directly supplied to mind from Barclays

GNR 2023 - Chris, Ruth, John, Carmel, Gary - £2000 (current just giving page and the page of Gary Carr)

Matched funding from Lloyd’s bank - £1000

Dh1- live music night £4090

Christmas wreaths 2024 - £1000

John sexton 40th birthday -£500

Mind charity ball March 2024- £6087 (inc. £500 matched dining from Barclays Bank)

Ruth Wilson skydive March 2024- £1500

Mind curry night and raffle - May 2024 including £1000 matched funding from Barclays Bank - £2140

Ruth and Andy Wilson, London to Brighton 100km continuous - £1750

Knee bother music night – July 2024 - £1000

Great North Run 2024 *Bernadette Davison, Carmel Davison, Ruth Wilson, John and Fiona Sexton (including Newcastle shirt raffle) - £3225

Final 40km before 40 events 19/10/24 - £2747 this page and £3075 on the just giving pages of Carmel Culmer, Niamh Boyle, Alex Morgan, Josh Glover, Ruth Hurst, Kimberly Roddick, Beverly Wildish.

Gift aid total for whole challenge - £11,728.30

Raffle and matched funding from Lloyds Bank 19/10/24 - £1000

Bernadette Davison's 60th birthday £500

Mind charity ball 2025 - £1922

Paris/London/New York marathon and London to Brighton 100km 'prize draw' - £2070

Anastasia, Zahra and Zoe's Junior Great North Run 2025- £205

Ruths 'Mind' Big Brunch October 2025 - £200

Wreath Making 2025- £450

John Snow College ‘March for Mind’ including 2026 Charity ball - £6000

Mind Over Mileage – Durham to London Challenge: