Running the London Marathon for Mates in Mind – In Memory of Chris

I'm running the 2025 London Marathon in memory of my dear friend Chris, one of the strongest and most laid back person I've ever known. Nothing seemed to faze him until February 2019, when everything changed.

Just three months later, in April 2019, Chris took the devastating decision to end his life. He had been doing his job with no pressure for over 30 years, but in a short time, he found himself overwhelmed by stress at work. Looking back, we now understand he was suffering a mental health crisis. The heartbreak and loss he left behind are something he never would have wanted. He believed the world would be better without him, but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

I've never been a runner, but Chris was. When I entered the marathon ballot, I never thought I'd be selected, but I was. And I believe it happened for a reason. At 53 years old, I'm taking on this challenge for Chris and everyone struggling in silence.

I never want anyone to experience the pain that Michelle, Chloe, Thomas, and their family have been through, and their heartbreak has been devastating for us all. So, I have decided to raise money for Mates in Mind, a charity that the family discovered after their loss and which is dedicated to mental health awareness in the workplace. If I could help save even one life, then Chris's death would not have been in vain.

Any donation is welcome, and Chris will be pushing me the whole 26.2 miles.

The Wiles family, in partnership with Mates in Mind, are aiming to shed light on the importance of mental health awareness and training within any organisation and help to break the silence and stigma surrounding mental ill-health in the workplace.