In January 2025 we lost Rhys Gregory to suicide. Rhys wasn’t just a friend; he was my family. We grew up like cousins, but he always felt more like a big brother. Rhys was there for so many milestones growing up: carrying me home when I moved to Sheffield for uni and drank too much, celebrating birthdays, and standing by me last year when I faced some health challenges, two tumours and a Cancer scare. Rhys was my constant and my port of call for everything when things got hard.

That 6am call left a hole in my heart and so many unanswered questions. You’re left replaying moments, wondering what you could’ve done, trying to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense. It left a hole in my world that nothing else and nobody else can fill.

There are nearly 31,000 fire fighters in the UK who go out everyday prepared to put their lives on the line to save ours. What they see during incidents leaves images and sounds that are hard to erase, but they stay strong to support their fellow fire fighters, families and us.

That’s why we – Charley and Arlen – are running the 2026 London Marathon for The Fire Fighters Charity

I miss Rhys every day. I look up to him even now. And if I can run this marathon in his memory, for him and his family, maybe I can help someone else stay just a little bit longer and help a family avoid this kind of loss.

This isn’t just about hitting a number - this is about showing up for Rhys, raising awareness for mental health by supporting others like him, and putting everything we’ve got into helping this charity continue its work.

So please, in Rhys’s memory and in grateful thanks to all the fire fighters who are there to save our lives, give what you can to support these incredible people.

#runforrhys