Jo's story

The training for this marathon has been particularly gruelling, as I have been battling an injury alongside going through some big personal changes in my life. It has given me lots of time to reflect on why on earth I am putting myself through this pain, again?? It's mainly about improving my mental health, and the mental health of young people.

As a child I grew up in an environment where there was alcohol addiction, domestic abuse, and controlling behaviour. If I'd had someone to talk to as a child, I may not have made the unhealthy choices that I did as an adult, I could have been more aware of how we repeat what we learn from the adults around us.

Now breaking the cycle, choosing healthy addictions and healthy relationships, and raising money to provide counsellors in schools for young people to be supported.

Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity with over 25 years’ experience working with pupils, families and staff in UK schools. Place2Be provides mental health support in school through one-to-one and group counselling, using tried and tested methods backed by research. The charity also offers expert training and professional qualifications.

The statistics are frightening:

1 in 6 children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem, with many continuing to have these problems into adulthood.

50 percent of those with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14.

1 in 10 boys aged 5-19 with a mental health condition are excluded in some form from school.

But there is some good news, because after one-to-one counselling with Place2Be:

68 percent of pupils caused fewer problems for the teacher or class (according to teachers).

79 percent of pupils with severe difficulties showed an improvement in wellbeing (according to parents and carers).

83 percent of pupils with the highest level of need show an improvement in wellbeing (according to children and young people themselves).

The need for counsellors in schools is just growing and growing, but many schools just simply don’t have the budget to afford them. And so the money I raise will go directly into providing more counsellors in schools and providing more mental health support for teenagers who so desperately need it.

Thank you to everyone who is supporting me through this challenging time and helping me in this mission!