Hi guys, my name is Jasmine and I am well underway with my training programme to run the Edinburgh Marathon 2024 in support of the Samaritans. A huge thank you for visiting my fundraising page!

I consider myself very grateful to have been a listening volunteer with the Samaritans for over 2 years, since December 2021. I pursued volunteering with the Samaritans because the values and missions of the charity were, and still are, congruent with the same values I hold closely as an individual. As Samaritans, our mission is to listen and support people, 24/7, 365 days a year, making suicide prevention a priority. We do this by listening to callers, through email and phone call contacts, providing a safe, non-judgemental space to explore ANY difficult thoughts or feelings. Your kind donation enables us to be there, answering sometimes life saving contacts.

Being a Samaritan is a huge part of my identity. In my time volunteering, the insight and honour I have gained has been immense. I have heard directly the impact, hope, and courage that our service is able to provide for callers in need of being heard. To provide that space for a caller, and be a part of the Samaritans is a huge privilege. Due to completely trusting the aims of the charity, as well as personally hearing how much the service can help callers, I will run the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon, not only to raise money for an extremely deserving cause, but to raise further awareness of the helpline. 

The ability to move my body, run, and train for this 26.2 mile event is something I am also incredibly grateful for, and something so many of us take for granted. The reason I have chosen to run a marathon with #TeamSamaritans to fundraise is because in 2023, I began running as a hobby. Upon beginning my running journey, I aimed to improve my physical health. Unexpected to me, running also provided vast improvements for my mental health. Running improved my confidence, determination and self-efficacy, as well as my physical health! Now into 2024, I am still enjoying and pushing myself in my running journey, continuing to bask in the benefits I have found. At current, I am well advanced in my Marathon training programme. I have no doubt that this challenge will test me in ways that will lead to self improvement, both physically and mentally. 

Thank you for taking the time to read what being a Samaritan and running Edinburgh Marathon 2024 for my charity means to me. For every generous and supportive donation you guys make, I will give this opportunity my best effort to do you, as well as mine and every one of my colleague’s and the service justice. 

Silence costs lives. No matter how big or small you perceive your troubles to be, we will be here to face them with you.

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Jo@samaritans.org 

https://www.samaritans.org